Unshackled Route
by St. Provena
Summary: Among the infinite possibilities that exist upon the tree of time, the boy known as Shirou lay dying among the inferno of the Holy Grail. This time, however, he wasn't saved by a certain magus killer. Instead, he has been set down on a route that will affect history as they know it. It was a one in a trillion chance, but perhaps now he can succeed where his other selves failed
1. Prologue (0)

I saw hell.

Every step I took, every breath I took, wracked my body with pain. The fire, the smoke, all of it surrounded me like a bonfire of death that spared no one. The heat had turned into an inferno, swallowing everything within its grasps.

Everywhere I looked, people laid dead. Those that weren't were pinned under several tons of rubble, barely conscious and aware of what was happening around them.

I ignored their silent pleas for help and kept walking. If I kept walking, there would certainly be an end to this hell hole.

Yet... The road never ended. Scorched earth and flaming remains of buildings littered the area, spreading the fire and death as the charred bodies of men and women were sprawled dead across the area. They had all tried to climb the flaming rubble in a desperate attempt to escape the fire, yet none of them had been strong enough to do so.

"H-help..."

I yelped as I tripped over a hand that stuck out from underneath the nearby remains of a house. Whoever the hand belonged to was still alive, but barely. My heart tightened with pity, but my body did not move to help.

There was nothing I could do.

"S-save me..."

I ignored the voice and forced myself to my feet, leaving behind the voice who only wished to be saved.

It hurt...

My bones felt like they were turning to steel. Hot fire burned through my blood, charring my dry throat.

It was only a few more minutes until my legs had collapsed, completely unresponsive to my desire to move. Yet, I didn't stop moving. I used my hands, crawling my way through miles of earth to survive through sheer will and determination.

I wanted to live to see another day. I was still young, but that desire to live burned brightly within me. Even if my bones break, even if I have to sacrifice an arm or leg, I would give anything to survive this hell.

Eventually, though, I no longer could move my arms. My whole body had lost feeling. I could not even feel pain anymore. It didn't matter how strong my will to live was. The human body could only do so much before it begins to wear and tear.

My muscles had torn themselves apart. I could barely stay conscious. The dull feeling within my head wouldn't go away, causing me to black out from time to time in regular intervals.

I laid atop a rock as a useless bag of bone and muscle. The fire within me was going out, and there was nothing I could do about it. I just wanted this nightmare to end. It would not be the exhaustion that kills me, but the cursed fire that ended everyone else. I had heard that being burnt alive was the greatest pain one could feel. Soon, I am going to experience this feeling firsthand.

But then...

"So this is the end result of your determination? Struggling uselessly even in the face of impending death. What was the point of it all?"

With great effort, I lifted my head to see who had spoken. In front of me was an incredibly tall man, wearing some sort of black body armor and pants with a grey cloak that was draped around him. His skin was tan, but it was a darker shade of brown as the light of the fires illuminated him. His face wasn't rugged like a brute, but there was a hard scowl on his face, as if he felt annoyed by me somehow.

"I've replayed this moment countless times, and yet this is the first time I'm seeing it from this point of view." His eyes glanced at the wall of fire which was slowly approaching. "And I can assume that you still wish to live even in your current state?"

More than anything. I want more than anything to survive this nightmare. I try to speak, say anything to confirm his suspicion, but my mouth would not move. It felt dry like the desert, almost like I was eating sandpaper.

Even so... I felt like the man understood what I was trying to convey.

"I see. Then hold on tight."

He dropped to his knee and gently scooped me up, his arms surprisingly careful despite how muscular and well developed he was. Standing back up, he turned towards the ring of fire and took a deep breath.

Then he began running.

It might have been my imagination or my tired mind, but I felt the scenery begin to fly past me like I was traveling in a car. It was barely noticeable at first, but it quickly became obvious the longer the man ran. The passing scene began to blur and the wind began to pick up, giving me the chills. Even amongst all the ruble and the unstable foundation, the man didn't even bother to slow down.

This man could not have been human. If I had been more conscious of what was happening, I would have screamed with delight at how cool he was. I've only heard about people like this in manga, or comic books from America. Embarrassing as it was, I've always dreams of being like those imaginary characters. I would spend hours of my life roleplaying like an idiot in front of the mirror, pretending I was actually a hero who could save everyone. I've always believed that people like that were imaginary and make believe. Now though...

Subconsciously, I held tighter to the man as he ran. The wall of fire was approaching fast, yet he did nothing more than charge straight into it. With a gust of wind and inhuman strength, he burst out of the other side of the fire and continued sprinting.

I lost my consciousness soon after, but a smile wormed its way onto my face. My deepest prayer was answered.

I was saved.

And I met a hero.

* * *

EMIYA remained silent as he watched his past self sleep on a nearby couch. In an act that even confused him, he had decided to save the person he hated most in the entire universe. He had planned, colluded, even tried to sneak behind Alaya's back, just to get the chance to enact his plan to kill his past self, cause a paradox, and erase himself from the world altogether.

He hated what he had become. He hated becoming this so-called 'Hero of Justice' who tried to save everyone. The fact that his younger self was naive enough to believe in a world where superheroes existed was what grated on him the most.

Really, there weren't many people who hated themselves to such a degree. Then again, when you were forced to kill people instead of save them for all of eternity, it might have been justified a little.

So when he finally had the chance to kill himself, he quickly grasped it. He was a cleaner who could only act after the disaster was committed, or near completion. The burning of Fuyuki City, caused by the grail at the end of the 4th Holy Grail War, had become much more volatile this time around. If left unchecked, the fire would have spread throughout the entire city and even the entire countryside. It may not have sounded like too big of a deal, but that meant that the Grail would have been able to harvest a large amount of souls without restraint, possibly allowing itself to be born fully even with Kiritsugu's actions of destroying its physical shell.

Kiritsugu...

He winced as he remembered the name of his adoptive father. The man had been crushed by the weight of his ideals at the end of the war, only finding solace in the fact that he had managed to save and adopt Shirou. Now that he has taken him...

EMIYA shook his head. No. It did not matter. No matter what happened from here on out, Kiritsugu was fated to die anyway. Ever since he became a counter guardian, he had lost the privilege of talking with his adoptive father.

He glanced at his younger self as he quietly slept, a peaceful expression on his face. His knuckles tightened. He didn't know what it was, but he just couldn't bring himself to kill him. Even after festering up his hatred for thousands and thousands of years, he had faltered when the time had come.

Perhaps it was because he could see from Kiritsugu's point of view, the determination he had given in a desperate attempt to survive. It was pitiable, even heart wrenching to watch.

He had tried to harden his heart. Hardening the feelings that came with killing was a simple action that he had perfected in order to do his job. Yet, whenever he felt he was close enough to do the deed, he took a step back.

It had felt like he was missing the bigger picture. Some innate feeling in the back of his head was gnawing at him with a silent warning. If he had brought his blade down, killed the kid, it would have been the end of him in a much more crucial aspect.

That's why... He couldn't bring himself to end it. It had been conflicting, but he put his blade down in the end. That action was possibly the hardest thing he has ever done.

So now it came time for him to improvise his plans a little. To do so, he would need the help of someone he had met only once before, yet he was known for being a troublesome character who involved himself too much in the affairs of others when they catch his fancy.

"I had thought I had you all figured out by now, but you always continue to surprise me."

A shape appeared from within the shadows of the dimly lit room. It was an elderly looking man who appeared to be around his mid sixties to early seventies. He had a messy white beard which looked like it hadn't been properly groomed in a while, giving him the impression of a hobo. Yet, the expensive black tailored suit and pants he wore clashed hard with that image. His physique was also unlike a frail old man, having a massive upper body and broad shoulders that made it seem like he was more taller than he actually is. His eyes twinkled with light, not unlike those with their youth. Though that light was far more menacing, resembling those of a prankster who played with lives on a whim.

He was the 4th Dead Apostle Ancestor: Zelretch. A powerful being whose ability was known across the multiverse as the Second Magic that controls parallel worlds. Not someone who most people wanted to run into during their lifetime.

"You, on the other hand, are quite predictable. You're horribly interested in things that don't go how they're supposed to go."

EMIYA shot back with narrowed eyes, earning a small smirk from the vampire.

"True. My desire for entertainment, like the rest of the Ancestors, is endless. I'm just more civil on how I find said entertainment." He glanced at the young Shirou, still sleeping despite their banter. "Things have become quite dull lately. It has become easier for me to predict the outcomes for events. I have longed wish for an event that even I couldn't have predicted."

"Well now you have your wish." EMIYA said sourly.

"Yes, yes... It has been granted." Zelretch nodded in agreement. "Really, I had imagined that you would have gutted yourself without a second thought. I mean, you have become one with the edge for quite a while. It should have been easy for you to kill the kid... yet you didn't." He eyed the counter guardian with narrowed eyes of his own. "What stopped you?"

EMIYA went quiet. The vampire just sighed.

"You don't even know. I can only assume that it was your gut instinct that was responsible."

"You could say that, but I am not here to talk about my life choices." EMIYA declared as he stood up, the atmosphere in the room becoming tense. "I need your help... in accordance with my younger self."

"I kinda figured that out. You would have been surprised to see me otherwise." Zelretch shrugged unflinchingly, staring the counter guardian down. "The only question I have for you is why in the world would you think I would help you?"

EMIYA inwardly groaned. Zelretch may be on the side of humanity, but he never did anything for free. Whether it was for money or amusement, the old bastard wouldn't move an inch unless one of those were offered to him.

So seeing as he had no money on him, being a counter guardian and all, he would have to choose the latter.

"Because this could be the starting point of a new singularity. A new source of amusement for you. That is all I have to offer. It is what you wish for, right? A new source of amusement?"

Zelretch's eyes shifted and a look of consideration passed his face. Now, it was time to up the stakes.

"If you decline, I will kill him. I've had more than enough time to sort my feelings out. I'll kill the boy and sleep like a baby for the rest of my days while you continue to search for a new source of entertainment."

That was a lie of course. He still couldn't go through with killing himself, though he was a master at concealing his true feelings. His poker face was incredible. It didn't even twitch or move as the wizard scanned him for any show of weakness.

After several seconds which felt like eternity, the troll grinned.

"Well then... I accept your terms. What is it that you would like me to do with the boy?"

EMIYA held back a sigh of relief. Straightening himself up, he glanced at his younger self and bit his lip as he saw his face twitch a little. The boy was starting to stir, but they still had time.

"I wish to divert him from the path that he will eventually travel. I do not wish for this world to be plagued with this naive boy who does things in the name of justice."

"So you wish for me to divert his path, eh? Stop him from being a counter guardian." Zelretch summarized with a stroke of his beard.

"I'm willing to wager that nearly all of my parallel selves have become counter guardians at some point or another. For once, I just want one version of me who doesn't end up like a lost cause. If that can't be achieved, then at least save this world from what I will eventually bring."

It was a depressing thought. The human known as Emiya was one of the few points who remained the same throughout nearly all parallel worlds. All possibilities had only reached the singular conclusion of him becoming a Counter Guardian. As of yet, there has only been a handful of worlds where that has never happened.

Zelretch raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Instead, he closed his eyes in concentration.

"To be honest... there doesn't seem to be anything I can do for him. I've observed you for a long time, EMIYA boy. It doesn't matter what type of upbringing you have, be it magical or not. You'll always end up the same either way."

EMIYA was silent, but his knuckles turned white. Seeing this, Zelretch held up his hand.

"However... there is a second option."

He tapped his cane against the ground, suddenly causing the amount of mana in the room to skyrocket as a rainbow vortex appeared in the air next to him.

"In this time, where young boys like you can only dream about the supernatural... I'll send him to a time where the supernatural was common."

"What?" EMIYA frowned before realization dawned on him. "Wait... you mean you plan on sending him into the past?"

"Indeed. A time where mystery is common to be more precise." Zelretch declared with a grin.

"But that's against the rules of the World... Messing with the Quantum Time Locks in any way can possibly-"

"I have the authority to usurp them should I wish to do so. I am the wielder of the Second Magic, after all." The twinkle was lit in the vampire's eyes, bringing out the prankster within. "Besides... what will the world do about it? Kill me? There are an infinite number of me. So long as the Second Magic exists, I will never stay down."

He suddenly became quiet, noticing that the boy was beginning to move around in his sleep. For a second they thought that he would actually wake up, but the young boy still was fast asleep.

"It's quite funny, really. I've always thought you were born in the wrong time. It's hard to be a good person in this day and age. It's also a lot more complicated with having to be so secretive with magecraft. The circumstances were all against you. They always have." He looked at his wrist, checking a small golden watch. "Anyway... we're almost out of time. I'm going to chuck this kid into the past. If you don't like it, try and stop me."

EMIYA frowned at those words. Chuck? It seemed a little bit too violent. Though it wasn't like he had a problem. He was just glad he could coax Zelretch into helping without problem.

"By the way... I have no idea where the kid is going to end up. It'll be like rolling a gacha!"

EMIYA just groaned.

* * *

A lone woman drummed her fingers against a stone balcony as she pondered to herself silently in thought. Her clothing was clearly symbolic with royalty, having a golden robe adorned with numerous amounts of jewelry. Her skin, while tan, seemed to glow with a healthy light. It was... divine in a way.

Well it wasn't too big of a surprise. She was a goddess, after all.

"Ninsun."

She turned her head and smiled as she was greeted with the sight of her husband. He wore a simple black tunic which was in contrast to his royal status. He sported a dark beard and had a messy amount of overgrown hair on his head, giving him the appearance of a wild animal if one were to view him from a distance. In his right hand was a large axe, nearly bigger than he was tall.

"My husband, Lugalbanda, how was your hunt?"

"Fresh food for tonight. Plenty of it, too." Lugalbanda laid his axe down and wiped the seat from his forehead before grinning. "So... how is it? You haven't been having any problems while I was away, have you?"

She shook her head and glanced down at her swollen stomach with a smile. "The baby has been silent as of late. It is almost time... I just wish it could have been under better circumstances."

Her child... her first male child, was destined to become the keystone of the gods. The declining authority of the gods have started to worry them quite a bit. In order to reestablish their dominance on the world, they wished to create a being who could bind the world of humans to the world of the gods.

In the end, it had been decreed that her child would be that very keystone. It had saddened her greatly, knowing that her future child would only be a tool of her siblings, but what could she do? She was no fighter. It would be foolish of her to rebel. The best she could do would be to look out for her child from the sidelines.

Lugalbanda sighed. He wasn't as sad as she was, but he was far from pleased.

"Let us just be glad that we are having a child. Urk is in desperate need of a new king. It would have been nice if we were allowed to directly guide him, though."

As a fellow minor god and a former king of Urk, he knew just how hard it was being a king. The responsibilities of attending both the needs of the people and the will of the gods were numerous, enough to drive any normal person mad. It took a special mindset to put up with the amount of pressure such a title held.

He gave his wife a comforting pat. "Come. Let us quickly make dinner. I do not wish to let the meat go to waste." He said, earning an exasperated smile from his beloved as she slapped his hand away.

"Do not be saying those things if you aren't the one making the food." Ninsun declared as she began to walk into the palace. Her husband scowled at the jab to his manly pride. Loathe as he was to admit, he never actually learned how to cook for himself. It was the work of the servants to attend to his meals every day. Now that he was no longer king, it was regrettable that he could barely take care of himself without his wife.

Perhaps it was lucky that he had married a goddess who was known for her wisdom.

As he began to lumber after her, he suddenly paused as a strange feeling crept down his spine. "Honey... do you feel that?"

In front of him, his wife had stopped in her tracks as well. It seems like she had noticed as well. "Yes, I do. It's an extreme burst of mana. Something akin to a ma-"

As she turned in his direction, she froze with her mouth agape. Curious as to what she was looking at, he turned around to look behind him and was greeted with an extremely unusual sight. Over the horizon, near a small lake that ran through their backyard, a cascade of colors illuminate the area. It was unlike any natural phenomenon they had seen before. Rainbows weren't an unknown, but this certainly wasn't a rainbow. It was like a cascade of powerful mana, giving it the appearance of a colorful rainbow.

"By the gods..." Ninsun muttered in awe as the light began to die down. "Such a massive flux in power!"

"Do you think that it is one of the major gods, dear? Perhaps Ishtar?" Lugalbanda suggested.

"That child isn't associated with rainbows, husband. I doubt something like this is because of her doing." She glanced at light and frowned. "I cannot think of anyone who could cause something like this. Perhaps it is a new phantasmal creature?"

"Hmph. Whatever the case may be, I shall go and investigate this disturbance. If it turns out to be a threat, I will quickly eliminate it." He grabbed his axe and hefted it over his shoulder before turning to his wife with a smile. "You should stay here, dear. Wouldn't want you to get caught in the crossfire in your condition."

Ninsun just smiled back. "Yes, that is indeed true. Very well. Go and investigate. Dinner should be ready by the time you get back."

"Thanks! Love you!" Lugalband declared as he hopped over the side of the balcony, plummeting towards the ground below without a care in the world.

* * *

"By the gods..."

For the second time that day, that phrase had been uttered with total awe and wonderment. Upon arriving at the site near the riverbank, he had noticed that there were no disturbances in the area. No uprooted sections of earth or anything that seemed out of place was not present. There was nothing to indicate that such an awe inspiring event happened here.

However, there was one oddity that had caught his eye. Lying asleep underneath a small tree by the river was a young boy that looked to be younger than ten. His hair had caught his particular fancy, being an unusual shade of red. As far as he knew, there has never been someone with red hair among the population of Uruk. He was also an unusual shade of white, not like the tan men who worked in the sun all day long.

He quietly put his axe down carefully so he wouldn't wake the boy. Creeping closer to him, he noticed that the boy had a small scent of magical energy. However, it was unusually small. Even a regular child of Uruk would have had more magical energy than he did. It was a wonder he had managed to survive out here.

But upon taking a closer look, that might not have been the case.

He gasped as he noticed that the boy's arms and legs looked way too loose for his own good. Stretching down and touching his arms, he could feel practically no resistance.

"This boy... he tore all of his muscles?" He murmured as he felt his legs, only to feel the same feeling as when he touched his arms.

After all the prodding and poking around he was doing, however, the boy began to stir and groan. Opening his eyes to reveal a shade of amber, the boy groggily took in his surroundings.

"Eh? Nandesuka?"

The boy winced as he tried to move his arm, only to have it uselessly twitch. Groaning in annoyance, the boy craned his neck and blinked in surprise as he saw the huge man that loomed over him.

"Er... Hello there, young man." Lugalbanda said with an awkward smile as he extended his hand forward. _"What did he just say?"_

That language was certainly not sumerian. It wasn't anything he had ever heard before, further proving the fact that he was a foreigner. The only question was: Where was he from?

"Ah! Monsutā!" The boy screamed in fear as he recoiled from Lugalbanda's hand, who froze at the boy's panicked voice. Sighing, he quickly retracted his hand and stood up. He was said to be quite imposing on his subjects when he ruled. Perhaps that never left him even after he had retired. For a young boy who clearly had no idea where he was, he would never open up to him.

 _"What to do..."_ He muttered with a pondering look on his face as he contemplated the problem. Suddenly, his eyes brightened up as an idea came to him. Quickly turning around, he began lumbering back towards his house to go and get his wife.

* * *

"Where is this boy? Show him to me!"

Lugalbanda sighed as he watched his wife run past him impatiently with her latent motherly instinct kicking in. His wife was a very caring woman. The second she had heard that he had encounter a child who had torn nearly all of the muscles in his body, she had quickly sprung into action. It was like she wasn't pregnant at all.

"He's by tree near the river, honey. Please don't try to move him without warning me."

Ninsun quickly stopped in front of the tree and dropped to her knees in front of the boy, who still had a scared look in his eyes. However, they seemed to have softened at the sight of his wife.

"Oh dear... Can you move? Are you in deep pain?" She asked with a gentle tone, scooting closer to the boy to help.

"Wakarimasen..." The boy mumbled as he stared at her with confused eyes. She blinked upon hearing the foreign language and turned to her husband with a confused look.

"He's a foreigner. I don't know what language he's speaking." He said with a shrug.

"I see..." She murmured as she turned back to the boy with a curious look. "Well, it is a trivial matter." Gently bringing a slender hand up, she placed it on the boy's mouth and muttered something under her breath. After a second, she quickly removed her hand from the slightly terrified boy and gave him a smile. "Now... can you understand me?"

"Um... Yes." The boy answered with a horse voice, looking incredulous at that fact. "W-where exactly am I? And how come I can understand you?"

She quietly regarded him for a moment before answering. "You are on the outskirts of Uruk. Quite a fair distance away from the gates of the city." Her face suddenly had an amused look. "And the reason why you can understand me is because I used a magecraft that instantly allowed you to speak it."

"Magecraft? Um... you mean magic? I thought that wasn't real?"

Now that gave her some pause. Even Lugalbanda looked at the kid like he was insane.

"You didn't know that magecraft was real? Did you hit your head too hard somewhere?" He asked with a frown, which quickly disappeared when Ninsun shot him a glare before turning back to the child.

"Ignore him. Magecraft is certainly real, though I do share his surprise that you do not know of its existence." She shook her head. "But enough about that. We can worry about that later. What is your name?"

The boy paused for a moment before answering.

"Shirou."

"Shirou..." She rolled that name off her tongue. "What a unique name. I can't say that I've ever heard of someone with a name like yours." She smiled. "Well then, Shirou. How about we go and get you all patched up? You can stay with us until we finally manage to find your parents."

She suddenly frowned as the boy's face began to droop like a wilting flower.

"My parents are dead. They died in a fire while trying to protect me."

Oh...

Lugalbanda's eyes softened and Ninsun looked taken aback by that sudden revelation. Granted, she had thought that the boy had gotten separated by his parents on the road, but this was certainly not what she had been expecting.

"I'm sorry..." She quickly apologized, her tone becoming much more softer and comforting. "It wasn't right for me to assume." She closed her eyes as if considering something. "Let us treat your wounds first before we talk about anything else. I'll be right back."

She stood up and gestured for her husband to follow as she went back to the house to retrieve the necessary supplies.

* * *

"Ninsun... are you serious about this?"

Ninsun shot her husband a second glare, freezing him in place. In his hands were a couple jars of special ointment and balm that were used for medicinal purpose in conjunction with magecraft for special results.

"I am serious about this. That poor boy just lost his parents. I am not sending him out into the wild just to live by himself. He's a boy for heavens sake!"

"Ok, Ok... I get it. I'm just worried about what the others would think about this." Lugalbanda glanced up at the sky nervously. "You know how angry they get when unknown pieces come into play. They might just blast him into dust without warning."

She just smirked. "No. No they wont. I'll make sure of it."

"Oh? What plan do you have in mind?" He asked with a curious look. Ninsun was known as one of the wisest beings across the land. Whatever plan she came up with was likely to succeed, though he was curious on how she would be able to deal with this problem.

"Our future son will become the next king of Uruk. It is his birthright and his inheritance. However, I still worry about his wellbeing. If the gods truly wish for him to succeed in their plan, he will need to be groomed and protected until he can stand on his own."

Lugalbanda opened his mouth before closing it with a confused look on his face. Ninsun just sighed. Her husband could be quite slow sometimes. It's kind of the reason why they got together.

"That boy-" She continued. "-Will be the perfect lifeline for our child. Think about it for a second. If our child had an older brother, it would no doubt be able to benefit him greatly in the future!"

"A... brother?" Lugalbanda muttered with a thoughtful look on his face as he stroked his beard. "Yes... that does sound good. Though, are you truly sure about this? You'll be giving the boy a huge amount of responsibility. One that no regular person can bear on their own."

"Then you and I will train the boy. Simple as that." She declared with a determined look. "I do not care if the gods will hate this idea or not. If they mess with him, they mess with our child's growth. I will not stand for that."

Lugalbanda just held up his hands in surrender. Clearly, nothing he said or suggested would ever turn his wife's mind around. At the very least, he could only hope that the decision she made was a good one. He didn't want the blood of an innocent boy on his hands. Then again, neither did she.

The pair arrived back at the tree and saw that the boy had managed to somehow prop himself up into a sitting position. It obviously took some effort, if the sweat on his brow was anything to go by.

"We're back." Ninsun announced with a smile as Lugalbanda set the balm and ointment down. "I'm sorry for the wait, but it took a while to find all of the equipment needed to heal you."

"It's fine..." Shirou croaked, his voice still dry. He eyed the jars with a quizzical look. "Will this really help me?"

"It will with the proper ritual." Ninsun said as she opened one of the jars, releasing a fragrant smell into the air that oddly didn't smell as strong as Shirou had been expecting. Dipping a finger into the container, she muttered a few words under her breath and the contents began to glow faintly. Seeing Shirou's curious look, her smile grew. "Hold still, Shirou. This will only take a minute or so."

Seeing the boy nod, she took her hand out of the jar and began slowly spreading the ointment all over his body with a gentle touch. As she did so, Shirou let out a sigh of relief as he felt his muscles suddenly tighten and loosen from the effects.

"Does it feel good?"

Shirou nodded his head and smiled. "Yes, it does."

"Good. That means that the magic is working." She said as she continued spreading the ointment. "Once I'm done, you should be able to stand up and walk around with a little bit of effort."

"Really? That's great!" Shirou grinned before frowning. "Though... I'm not exactly sure about what I'm going to do now. I usually followed my parents around, but I'm at a loss without them..."

He missed the glint in Ninsun's eyes, too focused on the relaxing effects that the balm was giving him. If he had seen it though, it would have given him shivers no matter how blessed her next words were.

"Well... I have a solution for that."

* * *

 **So, if you cannot guess from reading the chapter, this story will begin with the beginning of this Shirou's new journey in the land of Uruk. This was just something I came up with on the eve of the gilgamesh event for NA F/GO, and I just finished it now.**

 **This is just the prologue, though. I'll try to pump through it as fast as I can, but it might take a while with varying gaps in between. Even so, I hope you can enjoy this new story!**

 **I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	2. Prologue (1 Babylonia)

*CLANG*

An ornate sword that had been set down on a flat stone table sparked as a hammer came down and smacked the flat of its blade. Failing to draw a crack or bend it out of shape, a calloused hand gently picked the blade up and placed it with all of the other finished products.

And by all the other finished products, it meant about the thousand or so weapons that had been organized around the room. Ranging from battle axes to various pole arms, the room contained nearly all assortments of weaponry imaginable. Each of them had been cared for and maintained, sparing them from any rust that could have formed from non-use. Though the assortments of weapons were numbered in the thousands, each of them had a unique design that set them all apart from each other. Like a snowflake, no two sets of weapons were the same.

So it was strange to think that only one person created all of this.

Shirou stood up over the table and sighed as he wiped the sweat off his face with his arm. He was shirtless and wore only a black leather pants that had been created from the remains of some sort of animal. His body glistened with sweat from working in his personal forge, showing off his physical physique in all of his glory. Doing nothing but creating weapons had done wonders to give him the ideal body all women desired.

He had just turned fifteen a few days ago, which marked the seventh year that he had been living with his newly adopted family. Ever since Ninsun and Lugalbanda had found and rescued him from dying from his injuries, they had taken him under their wing so to speak. It had been a surprising, but unusual turn of events for him. After all, it was not every day that one could stand next to a god.

They had treated him well. Ninsun in particular had dotted on him ever since she had let him into her abode. She had been the one who had tutored him in matters of value and household jobs. Things like cleaning the house and cooking were just several of the practices that she had taught him. While it was usually the job of the woman to take care of the house on a daily basis, he wanted to repay the two of them instead of just freeloading like a parasite. Ninsun was more than happy with the arrangement, since it lessened her workload by a considerable amount.

Lugalbanda on the other hand, was the one who taught him the ways of the men. His training consisted of a rigorous workout regime to build up his body, usually involving all kinds of weapons that the men of Uruk were supposed to use in the case of an enemy attack. While there haven't been any wars that had threatened their civilization greatly, it was something they still prepared for. Hunting was also another job they had focused on, but his favorite by far was working in the forges.

He would spend most of his days in the forges, creating weapons of his own design. Within several weeks, he had managed to gain a reputation as one of the best metalworkers in all of Uruk, with his weapons compared to priceless works of art. Lugalbanda had considered him a prodigy in the business, seeing how he was able to create such wonderful weapons with speed and skill.

It was only later that they figured out the reason why. Using her magecraft, Ninsun had declared that his spiritual origin was something along the lines of 'Someone who creates', meaning that he had a natural affinity for any job that involved creation or repurposing. It was certainly helpful to know, but he had always wondered why she never told him what his literal origin was. Her response was that she didn't want him to become too absorbed by his origin. After all, when one knew their origin, it made it extremely hard to deviate themselves from it.

And for the road that laid ahead, she wanted him to be as flexible as possible.

"Shirou!"

Shirou sighed, but a small smile wormed its way onto his face as the front doors to the room were thrown open and a golden blur burst flashed through. Stopping in front of him, Shirou glanced downwards at a young boy with golden hair and red eyes who smiled up at him with a playful smile. He wore a white and light blue cap on his head, and was donned in a small robe that was adorned with gold and several rare jewels.

He reached down with his free hand and gave the boy a pat on the head. "Hello, Gilgamesh. Back from your duties already?"

The boy nodded, his smile still present. "Yeah! There's nothing left for me to do! Um..." a thoughtful look formed on his face. "I solved our cattle problem... I started constructions to create roads to link all of our cities... and I sent our soldiers to wipe out the nearby nest of monsters who were eating our cattle. That's good enough for today, right?"

"Hahaha... Yes, of course. You've done excellent work today as usual." Shirou's heart fluttered as he saw how the young boy seemed to glow at his comment. It was an adorable sight, and he always enjoyed their little moments together.

After all, they were brothers. Not in blood, but in their bond.

Gilgamesh was Ninsun's true son. A keystone of the gods who was meant to entwine both the human world and the world of the divine together. As such, he had an extremely large host of responsibilities that he would have to inevitably shoulder in the future. Thus, Ninsun had tasked him with being the young boy's older brother.

In her mind, an older brother would be a great thing for the young king to have. The younger will follow the older as the saying goes. Whenever he had a problem that not even he could solve, he could confide in him for answers. It was a lot more easier to talk to a family member instead of the numerous advisors which would serve him.

So when Gilgamesh had come of age to receive his title, Shirou went with him on behalf of his parents. Despite the fact that he was only seven years old, the people had received him as their king with joyous expressions. They hailed him as the son of their previous king, the one who will lead them all towards a new golden age, and so far he hasn't disappointed them.

"Anyway, lets hang out! The only thing you do all day is stay cooped up in here! You don't even visit me much anymore..." Gilgamesh added the last part in with a small pout, causing Shirou to roll his eyes.

"I live underneath the palace. You can visit me whenever you want." Shirou said before gesturing towards the mounds of weapons. "And besides... this is my job. Someone has to make the weapons around here, right? Your soldiers can't fight without weapons."

"Yes, but-" The king was abruptly cut off as Shirou gently pulled the cap down over his eyes. "H-hey! Cut that out!"

"Stop your complaining. A king should not complain so much about their personal problems." He gave him a toothy grin. "That being said, however, I cannot deny a request from the king. What would you like to do today?"

* * *

"Greetings, King Gilgamesh!"

"Good afternoon, King Gilgamesh!"

"Have a nice day, King Gilgamesh!"

Gilgamesh giggled as people passed by him with respectful greetings. If anything, this was what he loved most about his royal status. Everybody knew him, and they all loved him. For a child no older than seven, being respected and acknowledged was everything to him.

"The people of Uruk are all nice. Don't you think so too, brother?" He asked as he glanced up at Shirou, who was walking beside him.

"I agree, though you are the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. It is only natural that respect would be directed towards you." Shirou pointed out with amusement as he nodded politely to a passing lady.

"Yeah! That's the sign of a good king, right? If everyone loves you, you must be a good king!"

Shirou couldn't help but chuckle at that childish way of thinking. If anything, the boy was wiser beyond his years, No doubt he had inherited his wisdom from his mother. Even so, his line of thinking outside of matters of politics and the affairs of Uruk were childish.

"Well, I can't deny that." He said as they approached the outer gates. As they did so, however, the two of them noticed a sight that was quite unusual for such a place. Right next to the gate was a stall where the guards were supposed to keep watch for any monsters that could attack the city. Instead, the sounds of snoring could be heard from nearly fifty feet away.

"ZzZ..."

The pair quietly approached the stall and blinked when they saw the pair of guards, who were supposed to be watching vigilantly, passed out with drool coming nearly halfway out of their mouths. It was quite the comedic sight, but Shirou noted the look of conflict in Gil's eyes.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Wake him up." Shirou said as he nudged him with his foot.

"Yes, but..." Gilgamesh began, staring at the guards with a scrutinizing gaze "How am I supposed to punish them?"

Shirou raised an eyebrow. "Punish?"

"Uh-huh. My advisors said that anyone caught disobeying orders or not doing a good job should be handed with a fitting punishment. If left unchecked, people will only continue to slack off and that will become a hinderance to our kingdom. The only problem is that they never gave me any examples." He pouted. "Maa... This is so troublesome."

"Hm... Fine. Then watch big brother closely." Shirou said as he reached an arm over the desk and gently grasped on of the man's shoulders and began shaking. "Oi... Wake up."

"Hubababa... Morning already?" The guard mumbled groggily as he was shaken awake. Rubbing his eyes, the man sat up and gently grasped a spear that had been laying beside him. "Um... You have reached the great city of Uruk. Home of our great king Gilgamesh. All weapons must be confiscated before ent-"

His face suddenly turned pale when he realized who exactly was in front of him.

"S-sir Shirou? Lord Gilgamesh?!" The guard straightened up in his seat and beads of sweat began pouring down his forehead. His eyes were wide open, having been broken out of his stupor. "W-what brings you two out here, sirs?"

"We were planning on heading out to visit our parents." Shirou said as he leaned forward, causing the man's nervous sweating to intensify. "So imagine just how surprised we were to see that our gate, the front line of security for the people, was being so poorly manned by two sleeping guards."

"I... Uh..." The man stuttered, his feet starting to shake under Shirou's look. Finally, he fell to the ground and bowed as far as he physically could. "F-forgive us, King Gilgamesh, Lord Shirou! We were too busy celebrating at a party last night!"

Shirou frowned while Gilgamesh perked up with curiosity. "Party?"

"U-um... Yeah." The guard looked up from his position on the ground. "One of our captains hosted a party to celebrate the feast day of our protector goddess Ishtar. It's customary to celebrate and give offerings, right? That's what we were doing. I... I might have had a little bit too much to drink last night."

"Huh... That was yesterday?" Shirou frowned, wondering how he could have forgotten such an important day in their culture. Perhaps Gilgamesh was right. He did spend way too much time in the treasury. He glanced at the other guard who was still unconscious on the desk. He hadn't even stirred, sleeping like a rock. "And your friend?"

The man grimaced. "Same thing, sir. Though I don't really know much. He was partying at another district. I picked him up at the end of the night and collapsed here for our shift."

Shirou sighed and crossed his arms. "As much as we are glad that you indeed showed up for your shifts, you should have gotten someone else to do it for you. Passed out and drunk is no way to look after our gates, therefore we shall wake you up." He pointed to the outskirts of the wall. "I want you to run three laps around the entirety of Uruk."

The man turned pale once again. "T-three laps, sir? But-"

"No excuses. This is your punishment. Accept it and get it over with." He narrowed his eyes. "Or would you perhaps like me to raise the number to six?"

"N-no sir! Your kindness is appreciated! I will begin the punishment!" The soldier quickly grabbed his spear and took off running down the outskirts of the city wall.

"Don't forget to tell your friend to do the same!" Shirou yelled after the man before he could get too far away. Once the soldier disappeared around the wall, he turned to his younger brother with a small smile. "Did that help you at all?"

"Um... I think? Is that a justifiable punishment for him?" He asked, giving Shirou a questioning look.

"Well, from my perspective it is. It honestly depends on what you define as fair." Shirou lectured as he ruffled the boy's head. "Don't think too hard about it. You're still young Gil, you should enjoy your youth while you still can."

"But my advisors say that I should start learning the ropes early. I am their prophesied king, after all. If I cannot live up to their expectations, Uruk could suffer on a catastrophic scale... And I would fail as their chosen leader." Gilgamesh said with a sad look on his face.

If anything, the boy was absolutely afraid of his own future. He was blessed by the gods to be able to see into the future with clairvoyance several levels above the ordinary. Of course, fearing for her child's sanity, Ninsun had passively sealed this ability before he could see anything too major. He had since not been able to access this incredible power, but the temptation to peek into his own future and see what he would become was always there. He was a child, after all.

Though he was much smarter than the average child. Ninsun had always made him promise to never peek into his own future, hoping to make it so Gilgamesh would never have to worry about anything. Yet, it didn't work as it intended. He had worried that the future in store for him would end up with him becoming a leader who could never match up to the expectations of the people, or, much more worrisome, him becoming a tyrant who abused his position of power.

To Shirou, each of these futures were potentially possible. That was why he always stood by the boy's side. It was his job to make sure that his younger brother would always stay on the path of righteousness, and never on the path of evil.

Their relationship had always been like that of a master and student. To the young king, his older brother's words were meant to be listened to and regarded in the highest order of importance. Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean that Shirou forced his words onto him. He was meant to advise, not to control. Whatever piece of advice he gave would only be an opinion that the king could follow or not.

Whether he becomes a good and just leader, or a hedonistic tyrant, Shirou could only stay on the sidelines and offer his words to him. Whatever Gil choose to do... was up to him.

Eventually a time will come where such an event will be realized. Until then, Shirou will just have to play his role to the best of his abilities.

He slowly reached down and gently grasped the young king's hand, fitting it perfectly within own as they began walking along the road to the outside world.

"We can talk about this later... lets go and see mom and dad."

* * *

Lugalbanda roared with delight as he scooped up the young Gilgamesh in his arms, twirling him around the garden within the backyards of the palace. All trace of Gilgamesh's previous thoughts and worries had been replaced with a happy smile as he was swung around by his father.

Shirou simply watched them both with a small smile as he sat atop a nearby balcony with a cup of water in his hands. Alcohol was strictly a no-go in their household. Despite Lugalbanda claiming that it was okay for him to drink, Ninsun had adamantly refused to let any amount of alcohol touch his lips. Of course, it was something he agreed with. Alcohol dulled the senses, creating an opening of weakness that could be exploited by others.

"It's good to see that you take it seriously... unlike my husband."

His mother sat next to him, still looking the same even after all this time had passed. It was weird to think that she would still look the same for the next hundred years or so, but that's what happens when you have too much divinity.

"Well... I have to think straight to take care of him." Shirou joked as he took a sip of the water. "It has been getting quite troublesome without you, mother. He's starting to think more about his path to kingship, asking questions regarding his own decisions."

"He is still growing, Shirou. It is only natural that he will begin to become more mature as he gets older." She glanced at him with a slight amount of concern. "That being said... what about you? Your body, I mean."

Shirou grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "There haven't been any complications that have hindered me. I believe that my body has acclimated to the divinity you have passed on to me."

Back when Ninsun had used that magical balm to heal him, it had turned out that the method she had used was something akin to a transfer of divinity. As such, when his body had managed to recover from his wounds, he had absorbed some amount of divinity. It was a small amount though, not enough to turn him into an immortal. Even so, it was an amount that made Ninsun worried a little. After all, this was the first time this had happened.

"I see, that's a relief." Ninsun muttered with a content look as she continued to watch Gilgamesh and her husband rolled around in the shrubbery. "The two of you have already grown into fine young men. It only feels like yesterday when you showed up in our backyard."

"We aren't that old, mother." Shirou deadpanned, earning a giggle from his adoptive mom.

"Perhaps, but it has been quite a while since the two of you have taken the time to visit us. The house has been quiet without you two, and your dear father missed throwing the two of you around like a rag doll."

"Yeah... I can see that."

"Honestly, the two of you could be a little bit more adamant on seeing us. When the two of you grow older, I fear that we will rarely be able to meet like this. My old heart breaks just thinking about it."

An uncomfortable look passed on Shirou's face. "Mom..."

"I'm just teasing you, Shirou." Ninsun cut in with a wave of her hand as she stood up. "Though you should know for a fact that this may be the last major time that we meet each other for a while. The job of king is an ordeal that never ends." She moved to the nearby wall and pressed her hand against it, muttering a few words under her breath. A second later, the wall suddenly shifted to reveal a staircase that descended down into a part of the house Shirou had never seen before.

Turning to him with a completely serious look, she gestured for him to follow.

"Come with me, Shirou. It is time the two of you received your final gifts."

* * *

Shirou remained silent in awe as he stood in front of what appeared to be a magic chest. It was a decorated box that was covered with golden jewelry and numerous protective runs that glowed yellow with power. There was no opening for a key to fit in, but it was clear that the box could be opened through other means.

"Mother..." Shirou breathed out in awe. "What is this?"

"It is your inheritance. Something special that has been prepared for Gilgamesh a long time ago. Now, it shall also include you." Ninsun declared as she placed her hands atop the chest. With a click and a hiss, the chest opened up as sounds resembling the turning of gears filled the room. Once Shirou could see the contents inside, he felt his breath die in his throat.

The interior wasn't as decorated as the outside, but the inner walls were plated in shining gold. What captivated his attention, however, was what laid at the bottom of the chest.

It was some sort of weapon. His first thought jumped towards the sword, but then he realized that it couldn't be one. Even if the handle was the same, the similarities ended there. Instead of a sharp blade, there were three cylinders with engraved lines that pulsed red with power. It was incredibly foreign to him, like something that was never created by human hands.

"Captivating, is it not? It is a weapon created by a divine being, but no god has ever held this weapon. It was handed down to me by the god Ea so that I could hand it down to my son when he became king. It would become the symbol of his royal power, a divine wrath that would be enforced by the human hand." She said with a grim look on her face.

"Ea? The primordial god?" Shirou's eyes widened in awe as he stared at the weapon.

"Indeed. I know not how he created this weapon, but he has given it to me to keep." She gently pulled out the weapon and handed it to Shirou, letting him weigh it in his hands. "It is not as heavy as it looks, nor is it a proper sword, but it carries an ability that can certainly destroy anything. Do you see those three cylinders?"

"Yes?"

"Those are meant to rotate upon the user's command, creating a gust of wind that is not unlike that of the winds that created the world. It shatters space with the power of 'truth' to destroy its targets. It is a weapon that could even kill a god."

"And you want me to give this to Gilgamesh?" Shirou asked incredulously as he held the weapon, wondering why giving his younger brother a weapon of mass destruction would be a good idea.

"Like I said, it is to symbolize his status as king." Ninsun said before she shook her head. "It also is meant for his own protection. I have no doubt in my mind that he will attract the attention of the other deities. Most of the gods will not attempt to mess with him, but I fear that the younger gods will do so. A god-killing weapon is the only thing that will keep them at bay."

Shirou bit his lips nervously. The gods were known for being quite unusual and sporadic with their views on mortals. While most of them protected Uruk with blessings, others loved to prey on them for fun. Once Gilgamesh grew older there was no chance for him to go unnoticed, and he will have to confront those who come for him.

"I see... Is that all?"

A small smile flickered across Ninsun's face. "I still have to give you your own gift. You are my son as well, Shirou. It wouldn't be right of me to leave you out."

She reached back into the chest and retrieved weapons that he was definitely more familiar with. Cradled within her arms were two golden swords, each slightly longer than his outstretched arms. They were both clearly meant to be used in conjunction with each other in each hand as twin swords, overwhelming the enemy from both sides.

Ninsun chuckled as his expression flickered back to dumbstruck. "Yes, I had a feeling you would show me that expression. Well... Prepare to show me more. Behold!"

The reversed one of the blades in her hands and smacked the butt of their grips against each other. A small whirring sound could be heard as the grips clicked into place, connecting to each other. As they did so, the blades arched back a little and a thin gold light extended from the tips of the blade, connecting with each other in a manner similar to a...

"It's a bow?" Shirou gaped as he stared at the weapon. Damn... why hadn't he thought about that before? A bow that also worked as a pair of swords... brilliant! He'd have to file that idea away for later. Perhaps he could make something similar later.

"Indeed. A very special bow! It has no name, but I think it is fitting. It is your weapon now, so I believe that it is your duty to give it a name." Ninsun said with a smile. "As a bow, it is unmatched. Simply pull back on the string and it will release arrows of light to strike your target! Of course, you'll still have to practice with it like any normal bow. There is also one function that makes it unique from any other bow..."

She detached the blades and gently handed them to Shirou, who quickly put Gil's new weapon down and grasped his own gift.

"These blades were crafted during the Great Flood. Or rather, you could say that it was the weapon that started one of the factors of the flood."

"One of the factors?" Shirou questioned with raised eyebrows, breaking his gaze from the weapons. "Weren't the gods the ones who created the flood?"

Ninsun frowned for a second before shaking her head. "The entire situation was... complicated. Though if anything was true about that event, multiple parties were indeed involved. Though for us, these blades were given supreme control over the waters. If the user so wished it, within seven days, one could reenact the flood." Upon seeing his face, she held her hands up. "Of course, I trust that you won't do that. You're a smart boy."

"I can't begin to speak of the many problems that could arise from this..." Shirou muttered, though he was secretly giddy that he got something like this. His brother always got the coolest items for his birthday while he never got anything. Granted, he never really asked for gifts, but he still expected something for heavens sake!

"The two of you have common sense. I trust the both of you enough to entrust you with these gifts. After all, I no doubt believe that you will both need them in the future."

The two of them cringed at that thought.

* * *

"Wow... so mother is giving this to me, huh?"

Gilgamesh stared in wonder at his new weapon as he swung it back and forth like it was a toy sword, and not an ultimate weapon that could possibly end the entire world as they knew it.

"Yes, so don't treat it like a sword. That thing is danger- Hey!" Shirou ducked away as the tip of the weapon flew way too close for comfort. He reached his hand out and quickly grasped his brother's arm. "Stop swinging it around. You might poke my eye out!"

Gil pouted. "You'd be fine... We could always fix you with the help of our priestesses! They do know a lot of magic..."

"I do not doubt their abilities, but getting your eye poked out isn't exactly painless." Shirou muttered as he let go of his brother before sighing. "When we get back, I'm going to confusticate your weapon and throw it into your vault. It's clear to me that you're still too young to use it."

"What?!" Gil gaped at him in shock. "B-but... you've never taken anything away from me before!"

"Then clearly, I haven't been a better brother." Shirou grumbled as he snatched the weapon from Gil before react, ignoring his cry of despair. "Once you're an adult, I'll allow you to wield it. Until then, stick to regular blades. You've barely mastered those anyways."

"That's unfair, big brother!" Gil whined, his eyes starting to tear up. "That's mother's gift! She gave it to me because she thinks I'm ready!"

"No, she gave it to me. Only I decide when you are ready." Shirou retorted, though he hid his growing amusement. "And look at you... You're almost as tall as the weapon itself! Gain a couple more inches, brother. You will look weird if you try to swing that around. Maybe if you drank your milk, you wouldn't be this short."

Gil turned his head away, a small blush on his face. "I don't like it... Why make the king drink something he doesn't want?"

"You don't eat for satisfaction, you eat to survive. The taste is just a luxury."

"Well I'd rather eat your food than the ones that my cooks serve me. They have nothing on your cooking!" Gil declared, his face morphing into a grin. It was so cute, it almost stopped Shirou from uttering his next words.

"Then perhaps I should stop cooking for you until you drink your milk. That's where all the height comes from." Shirou said with a sly smile.

And just like that, Gil's face reverted back into a panicked look.

"No! Don't do that, big brother! I'll do it! I'll drink my milk, just don't stop cooking for meeeee!" Gil pleaded as he latched onto Shirou and began flailing about as he threw a temper tantrum.

"Ahahaha! Then you better stay true to that!"

Shirou laughed as he ruffled Gil's hair, even as he continued to flail around with disappointment. If anyone were to have seen the pair as they walked down the road, they would have been hard pressed to believe that the two of them were a part of the royal hierarchy.

There were very few moments that the two of them could act like this. With Gil's duty as the king of Uruk, and his duty as his older brother, they each had a public image to maintain. It was hard, especially on Gilgamesh. For a kid who actually wanted to act his age, he never got many chances to do so. That's why he always tried to sneak off with Shirou all the time. He was the only one who understood him, the only one who could sympathized him.

His innocence was very clear, and it was something that could not be present in a king. A king must know all to properly rule his kingdom. Eventually, Gilgamesh would grow into a young man and leave all of his childish tendencies behind.

Even so... Shirou wished that he could keep Gil's innocence intact for as long as possible. Because moments like these were the ones he cherished the most. In his heart, he silently hoped that his younger brother would never change, even as they got older together.

...Of course, Fate had different plans.


	3. Prologue (2 Babylonia)

Fate always had to have different plans.

Shirou, looking much more mature in appearance, had a small scowl on his face. He wore dark leather pants and a golden cloak that was draped over his shoulder, covering a white tunic with golden accents. As of now, he stood at the entrance of the throne room where his younger brother would usually be seen doing numerous works to renovate his kingdom.

Or at least, when he bothered to actually do his work.

Next to the golden throne were a pile of tablets. Each of them were etched with numerous complaints and charts that ranged from monster attacks to the number of crops that the farmers have managed to produce yearly. In the past, the pile would usually be gone at the end of the day. Now though... they only continued to pile up.

Shirou felt his shoulders sag as he stood over the pile. He never really understood how this happened. It was so abruptly, so sudden, that he couldn't come up with any plan to stop what his younger brother had become.

His younger brother, his sweet younger brother, had turned into what he had originally feared the most. A tyrant who ruled with an iron fist who prided power and his words over all. He constantly slacked on his duties, leaving the kingdom in the hands of the squabbling advisors who tried their hardest to keep everything in order and tend to the needs of the people.

Nobody could figure out how this happened. Gilgamesh's personality had suddenly switched overnight without warning. Of course, Shirou thought that it was a phase that he was going through. After all, it wasn't too uncommon for growing teens to act more unruly than usual. With time, they eventually grew with their maturity.

Turns out, it wasn't a phase. It has been four years since this had all started, yet Gilgamesh didn't bother to try and correct himself. It was like he saw no problem in what he was doing. He didn't even listen as much to his dear older brother, often brushing off his advice like he was swatting a gnat. He still loved him, but he has long since claimed independence.

It hurt everyone to see what he had become. It was only thanks to the love they had for him as a child that nobody tried to revolt or attempt to overthrow the hierarchy. There was also the fact that he tended to act in various bursts of violence when someone disagreed with him, often threatening to execute those who he deemed as wrongdoers. Luckily, no executions have taken place despite this.

The only thing anyone could do right now was to stay clear of him while they tried to keep things together, and the events that had unfolded several days ago were starting to enforce that fact.

Three days ago, Gilgamesh had just unleashed more power than he had ever released before. A green haired individual had confronted the king of Uruk after casually strolling through all of the guards who attempted to stop him. The situation wouldn't have been as bad at any other day, but yesterday just so happened to be the wedding day of one of the officials of Uruk. Now, as per newly decreed custom, Gilgamesh would sleep with the bride on the night of the wedding before the man. It was an incredibly odd rule to everyone, but Gilgamesh had claimed that everything was his property. As such, he would do with his property as he pleased.

It was incredibly inhumane, but nobody was going to try and stop him. After all, his strength and stature were far above even the greatest individuals Uruk has to offer. With one hand, he could rip the strongest beast. With the other, he could move the tallest of mountains. Well, at least that's what he proclaimed. Even so, it didn't seem like a bold claim. With his status as a being closest to the gods, nobody could really doubt him.

So that's why everyone was terrified when they were proven wrong.

The green haired individual had confronted Gilgamesh when he was heading to meet with the bride in her chambers. He stood in front of the door like a pillar, completely unmoving despite Gilgamesh's anger. They simply yelled at each other for what felt like an eternity, filling Uruk with the sounds of their argument. Everyone had hunkered down in their own rooms, their argument causing the ground to shake like that of an earthquake.

So when the fight started, that earthquake quadrupled in effect. The two of them had engaged in a straight up fist fight, throwing themselves around like sacks of potatoes as they tore through buildings and houses. Eventually, the two of them made their way outside of the city, where the spacious environment would allow them to fight seriously.

Whoever the green person was, they were extremely powerful. The earth bent to his will, transforming into shields and sharpened blades that he threw around like arrows. They were so numerous, that even Gilgamesh was being forced back at a quick rate. So, in a desperate attempt to regain his superiority, he opened his treasury.

His treasury, containing the numerous weapons and technology that Shirou had created or collected, flowed out like a torrent of gushing water. Each polished spear, each hard blade, smashed against earth as their attacks countered each other perfectly. It was a terrifying, but incredibly jaw dropping sight to behold. Still, Shirou couldn't help but groan in annoyance as he watched each of his beautiful weapons get tossed around like trash. They weren't meant to be used like that, but he couldn't deny that the method was effective.

Their battle raged on for several days, though it only felt like several minutes. As soon as the two of them realized that they could no longer defeat each other as they were currently, they had seemingly decided to unleash their ultimate attack.

Gilgamesh pulled out his ultimate weapon, the man simply glowed with an ethereal light. The gift in Gilgamesh's hand, filled with his power, began spinning at a fast pace as the winds howled in accordance. Red light streaked in the sky, cutting apart the world and twisting space as the weapon unleashed its true glory. For a moment, Shirou feared that his brother may have gone overboard and would have wiped Uruk off of the earth in his rage.

Thankfully, it did not happen. Their two attacks had collided, cancelling each other out in a flurry of destruction and divine wrath. In that moment, their fight had long since left the realm of men and transcended into the world of the gods. The entirety of Uruk, the greatest kingdom in the world, would be the lucky ones who bear witness to this event.

When the lights died down and the fighting stopped, the two fighters collapsed onto the ground. Completely devoid of energy, the two of them could only lie motionless as daybreak approached.

 _"Ahaha! Truly, this is a truly a predicament... There is only one chance to strike for the each of us, and without any means of defense, it will only end up with two foolish corpses."_

Shirou sighed as he remembered his brother's defeated claim. Indeed... it had been the first time in years that his younger brother had laughed like that for anyone other than him. Perhaps it was because he finally met someone who could match him, but he didn't know for sure.

"Um... Lord Shirou?"

Shirou turned towards one of the side doors to see a young woman who was garbed in the robes that the priestesses of Ishtar would wear. Her skin was fairly tan, with her hair being a light shade of brown. Hanging in front of her was a thin veil, which gave her an ethereal look despite the fact that it was meant to cover her face.

He smiled tiredly at the woman. "Good morning, Siduri."

The temple priestess bowed respectfully in a nervous manner. "U-um... Good morning, Sir. I have come to gather some of the tablets for work."

Shirou grimaced in slight annoyance. Siduri was one of the youngest priestess of Ishtar, but she was also one of their hardest workers. Every day, she came into the throne room to help assist with the affairs of the people. The only reason why tablets didn't litter the entire throne room was because she was always there to pick them up herself along with the others.

She was quiet and soft-spoke, a really gentle person at her core. Even so, everyone else always listened to her whenever she had something to say. Except Gilgamesh of course, but that was to be expected.

"Work... Right." Shirou shook his head before he turned back to the pile. "Well, then take five. I can handle the rest."

"Eh?" Siduri frowned as she stared at the pile. "O-only five, sir? But there's more than thirty pieces of requests that need to be carried out! Perhaps you could finish twelve in the next hour or so, but it'll be much more efficient if you left the rest to-"

"Siduri... Loose that stutter of yours." Shirou said softly, though it was enough to shut her up immediately. He grabbed five small tablets and held them out to her, offering her a small smile. "Everyone is tired, Siduri. You've all worked so hard to keep everything intact, and I truly am proud of that. However, I believe that a break is required every once in a while. Rest for a while, and only then shall I allow you to resume your regular work."

Despite his offer, Siduri's face held a protesting look. "But Sir... You are just one man! At least let me take a few more..."

"I am the older brother of your king, Siduri. I can handle myself just fine. If anything, I'd be better at handling these tasks than anyone else." He glanced at the tablets in his hand. "Well if you won't take it, I'll just go ahead and do them my-"

"No!" Siduri cut in quickly, snatching the tablets from his hand and holding them close like a possessive child with a toy. "I'll do it. You can count on me, sir."

"Good." Shirou laughed, quietly content that this was all it took to convince her. Usually she was much more stubborn when it came to matters like these. "If you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask me. You're still just a rookie, kid. As your senior, It is my duty to help you." He smiled. "I'm not too worried about it, though. You're a smart cookie. You'll be fine."

He inwardly gushed when he saw her blush at his compliment. Truly, he has gotten old. It reminded him of his days with a much younger Gilgamesh, only this time it was with a girl instead of a boy.

"Thank you, lord Shirou..." She mumbled, her eyes drifting towards the floor.

"No problem, kid. Now go and quickly take care of those tablets so you can enjoy the rest of your day."

Siduri quickly bowed and left the room with haste. Once she had gone, Shirou sighed and returned back to the pile at hand. Picking up the nearby tablet, he grimaced once he read what was on it. Apparently a nearby monster had begun staking claim in a nearby forest. It was a seemingly new breed of monster, though it was proving to be more troublesome than most. The forest it had taken root in was where the primary source of Uruk's wood came from, causing problems for many men who went to harvest the wood. As such, they needed someone to quickly get rid of the monster for them.

Shirou sighed and threw his tablet to the side as he quickly began walking to the door. If anything, monster exterminations were one of the main problems and concerns that the citizens of Uruk had. There were no shortage of these problems, but there were far more than usual these days.

...Damn it all, Gilgamesh.

* * *

Shirou approached the outskirts of the city and frowned as he came across the sight of his brother and his opponent on the ground, having not moved from their position since last night.

"Ah... brother. You finally decided to check up?"

Gilgamesh looked up at him from his sprawled out form on the ground. His body was covered in bruises and dust, but he looked otherwise unharmed. His clothes looked no worse for wear, only having some small rips and tears here and there.

"I'm out to go take care of a monster that's preventing us from gathering any good wood." Shirou said with a deadpan tone as he stared down at him. "Have you done nothing but lay here? It was quite cold last night."

"Please, the cold does not bother the king." Gilgamesh snorted. "If anything, this annoying stiffness in my shoulder is intolerable."

"Well, don't be surprised if that cold gives you a cold." Shirou grumbled as he glanced at the green haired individual who laid motionless a few feet away from them. Their eyes were open, but he had remained silent as he watched them talk. "Who are you?"

"...Enkidu."

The being answered quietly without moving. It was incredibly odd to see the two of them together, despite the fact that they were both trying to kill each other not too long ago.

"Huh... nice name." Shirou said as he glanced at Gilgamesh. "Any particular reason why the two of you haven't killed each other yet?"

"Hah! It would have been foolish of us to try. Each of us will end up dead the second we tried to do so. Instead, I, the king, have declared my royal decree!" He pointed at the green haired being. "This person has proved to be my equal in combat. Thus, it is only natural that the both of us are to be friends!"

Only Gilgamesh could possibly come to this kind of logic.

Shirou turned back to Enkidu with raised eyebrows. "And you're totally fine with this?"

"Friendship is an interesting concept. I would like to give it a try." Enkidu said with a small smile.

Shirou had to refrain from pinching his nose. This... was the weirdest thing he has ever experienced. The thought of Gilgamesh proclaiming someone else to be his friend sounded incredibly foreign to him.

Then again... Gilgamesh never had a friend before.

"Fine... Then get up and head back to the castle, Gilgamesh. I already had a bath prepared for you since I suspected that you would be in... less than savory appearances."

A flicker of annoyance passed Gilgamesh's face. "Brother... do you dare imply that I, the king, am in a state other than perfect?"

"Yes." Shirou said simply, ignoring Gil's continued look of annoyance. "You're dirty, smell, and don't look anything like a king. If anything, you look like a street rat like your new friend." He cocked his head at Enkidu, who was oddly rolling around in the dirt like a child. "Now hurry up and take that bath or else it'll be cold by the time you get back."

"Shi-"

"Now, Gil. Or else I won't make you your favorite snack when I get back." Shirou declared with a glare, making the golden king freeze. If there was anything his younger brother loved the most, it would be the magnificent cuisine that Shirou created. Ever since Shirou's abnormal talent in cooking alongside crafting, he would always cook his meals 24/7. They were so divine, that simply eating anything else didn't seem to register with Gilgamesh.

As such, that threat was almost 85% guaranteed to work on him depending on what he wanted. It's not like he could do anything to force Shirou to cook for him. Nothing short of torture will probably do him in, but the two of them were still brothers and Gilgamesh still had a large amount of respect for him.

So that left only one option...

"Fine! The king has decided to return. The water meant for the king must not be put to waste!" Gilgamesh declared, standing up immediately as if the fatigue and soreness had vanished. "Enkidu!"

"Hm?" Enkidu looked up from the ground.

"We leave posthaste! There are important matters the king must attend to! After my bath, I shall show you personally around my wonderful kingdom!"

 _"Yeah... The kingdom that you're failing to rule."_ Shirou thought with a shake of his head. Bending downwards, he pulled Enkidu up before a frown came to his face.

"Hey Enkidu, are you a man or a woman?"

He just couldn't quite put his finger on it. Its voice sounded androgynous, and its physical appearance held an otherworldly beauty to it. Neither male nor female could properly judge it unless they held a similar kind of beauty. Then again... Its appearance did appear familiar somehow...

"Um..." The being looked down at itself with a thoughtful look on its face. "Well... I was originally a mound of dirt for a while... Then I took the appearance of this really beautiful lady who I met in the wild. Her name was Shamhat."

"The prostitute?" Shirou blinked. He turned to Gilgamesh, who had an equally confused look. "I haven't seen her the past few weeks or so. Don't you usually keep in touch with her?"

"Really? I never noticed." Gilgamesh frowned, fondly remembering the sacred prostitute. She was an especially fine woman, equally generous and kind, but damn was she good in bed. It was probably why he always made a point to call her any chance he got.

Perhaps she snuck away when he was with another woman? He did tend to be quite preoccupied with that a lot.

* * *

After shooing the two individuals away, Shirou continued on his merry way. The forest wasn't too far from Uruk, so he could most likely be back in time to make Gil his lunch. He did get particularly grumpy if food wasn't served on time, but he had a feeling that he could be a little bit later than usual.

After all, he would certainly be too busy with his new friend.

He didn't personally mind, so long as it kept his younger brother out of trouble. Perhaps with a little work, Gilgamesh can upgrade from his use of the word 'mongrels' to that of 'peasant'. Not like that was any better, though.

When he came across the forest, he gritted his teeth at the large amount of overgrowth that seemed to have sprouted up. It was like a wall of brambles and bushes, giving the image of a mound of shrubbery instead of a forest. It was so thick, not even the fine wood could be seen from inside.

"How troublesome..."

Shirou casually reached behind him and grasped the golden twin blades that were strapped to his back. With two casual swings, he began to carve a hole as he waddled through the overgrowth to reach the center of the forest. By his guess, the demon who was supposed to be here should be at the middle of all of this mess. That was where the magical energy was at its thickest, which equalled to more food for whatever lived here.

Which begged the question... what exactly lived here?

As he continued to wade through the vines, that thought circulated through his head at an alarming rate. Monsters weren't very subtle creatures. They boasted strength far above any man, and had the savagery to boot. Most of the time they leave large amounts of destruction in their wake, especially when they got hungry. But even after walking around for several minutes, he had not come across anything that could have indicated that a monster had been here.

Then again, this was supposed to be a new breed of monster. As far as the reports go, nobody had an actual description on the monster that attacked them. The only thing that they all had in common was that it was _very_ fast, snatching people away before anyone could react.

 _*Whoosh*_

Shirou immediately spun around as he detected a disturbance in the air. His trained eyes, perceiving the events in slow motion, zeroed in on a green vine that was swinging itself towards his head like a whip. Acting quickly, he jumped backwards to quickly get out of the vine's striking range.

*SNAP!*

He couldn't help but flinch at the sound. If he had been a second too late, that strike would have smashed his head wide open like a vase. Or at the very least, it would have ripped his face off.

Quickly sliding to a stop, he narrowed his eyes as he tried to identify what exactly the threat was. The vine continued to wave sporadically in the air like a snake, darting randomly like it was trying to desperately reach him.

▃▃▅▅▃▃ー！！

He held his blades in front of him as a roar tore through the green. As if becoming agitated by it, the entire forest began to shift like it was some sort of living organism. More vines sprouted out of the ground, flailing around and tearing up chunks of earth as they became uprooted.

"A plant monster?" Shirou muttered as he began dodging the new vines that threatened to entangle him. Spinning in a circle, he cleanly bisected the numerous plants that were beginning to swarm him. As he did so, he tried to identify where the monster was. If he could destroy it, theoretically the forest should go back to normal.

He grunted as a vine smashed directly into his chest, sending him through several trees. Skidding to a stop, he gritted his teeth and quickly slammed his blades together to form his bow. Once the golden string appeared, he quickly plucked the string and began firing arrows in whatever direction he could. Destroying the forest wasn't his goal, but a large amount of destruction would be required to flush the creature out.

The earth was torn asunder under his calculated destruction, sending splinters of wood everywhere. Within a minute, a large swath of the forest had been flattened and destroyed.

▃▃▅▅▃▃!

A sharp pain came from Shirou's side as something large smashed into him like a club. Crashing to the ground, he quickly rolled to the side as another large object smashed into the spot he had been a millisecond before. Crawling to his feet, he found himself face to face with a sight that made his skin crawl.

The figure in front of him was most certainly not human, yet it had a similar shape to a humanoid. Though it stood atop two appendages that seemed to act like legs, it was vaguely alien in nature. It's entire body was dark green, composed of decaying plants and wildlife that seemed to barely hold it together. Its arms were horribly mismatched, with each being a different length and size than the other. At its naval was a small thing tube of sorts, feeding directly into the ground like some sort of umbilical cord.

"What... are you?"

Shirou quickly shook himself out of his shock and raised his bow. Sensing his attack, the monster immediately raised one of its arms as it surged with sudden growth to become as large as a nearby tree. Quickly reacting, he jumped as the arm was swept sideways and watched as it passed harmlessly beneath him. Taking his hand, he plucked his string a couple times and released a barrage of arrows before the creature could react.

▃▃▅▅▃▃ー！！

He counted at least 8 arrows that had impaled themselves within the beast. Each of them had struck a vital spot that was meant to impair movement, yet it only served to make the beast stumble a little. With a loud grunt, a surge of magical energy began seeping into the monster as it began to swell up. Its form bulged like muscles, and the arrows were forced directly out of its body as dead plants fell off.

 _"Shedding?"_ Shirou thought as the beast's outer layer fell apart and the wounds vanished along with them. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the cord at its center with a scrutinizing gaze. Whatever act the monster did was clearly running on magical energy. If he could cut off the source, he could stop it from regenerating.

 _"I see... So that's how it is."_

The richest form of magical energy came from mother earth itself, especially in a place such as a forest. The tube was obviously siphoning off the energy within Gaia, transferring it to the main body so that it could be used. A useful tactic, but it was also a double edged sword. Being at the center of the beast, it would be an easy target to strike.

All he needed was a window of opportunity.

Rushing forward, he once again shot several arrows towards the beast which it promptly deflected with its left arm. However, they were merely the opening act. With its left arm occupied, he slid to his knees as the monster swiped with its right hand. He felt his skin crawl as the appendage missed his head by mere millimeters, but he ignored it as he reversed his grip on the bow.

Shifting his knees, he spun in a circle as he moved forward with the edge of his bow. The edge of the bow had just enough momentum to slice directly through the naval cord as he moved between the creatures legs to safety.

▃▃▅▅▃▃!

The effect was almost immediate. As the cord fell to the ground, the monster roared once again in pain as a greenish fluid began spilling out of its naval. It was like a torrent of water, with the monster becoming smaller and smaller as the magical energy needed to sustain it began to vanish back into the earth. It writhed in pain, but its moans of agony began to become quieter and quieter until finally, it crumbled away into dead vegetation.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Shirou disconnected the swords and sheathed them back into the straps on his back. Looking around, he noticed that the overgrowth in the area was starting to crumble away as well without the monster's influence to support them. He could also see just how much damage his fight actually caused, with large swaths of the forest having numerous trees uprooted.

"How wasteful..." He muttered.

He would need to order someone to make some early trips. It would be a shame to let such fresh materials go to waste.

* * *

Shirou trudged back through the halls of the palace, his face marred with slight annoyance. His clothes were slightly ragged and covered with dirt from his battle. They were quite expensive, and he knew it would be quite painful for the cleaners to bring it back to pristine condition.

Even so, the palace staff bowed politely towards him as they passed by. Of course they did it with Gilgamesh all the time, but there was a certain amount of fear depending on the individual. Clearly, as the wiser of the two, he deserved most of their love.

He stopped one of the nearby servants in the hallway. "Excuse me, do you know where my brother is at?"

"Lord Gilgamesh? He... um... hasn't left his bath yet." The servant muttered, pointing in the direction of the king's private lounge. Shirou frowned at that. Gil usually didn't spend long amounts of time in the bath. He hated it when his perfect skin got wrinkly.

"I see... Thank you."

He expertly navigated his way through the palace halls until he found himself in front of Gil's room. Pushing the doors without bothering to knock, Shirou blinked in surprise when he noticed that the room was surprisingly vacant of one certain goldie.

Enkidu sat at the foot of Gil's bed, a thoughtful look plastered on its face. A simple white cloth was the only piece of clothing it wore, yet it felt fitting somehow. Along with that perfect body, expensive clothes would only be too much.

"Hello, Enkidu." He greeted the being politely, earning its attention from its inner thoughts. "Gil wouldn't happen to be in the bath, would he?"

Enkidu smiled. "Ah... indeed he is. He has been in there for the past hour or so. Truth be told, he invited me to join him. It was an interesting experience."

"I hope it was pleasant, at least." Shirou chuckled as he entered the room and shut the doors behind him. He walked over to the nearby dresser and removed the top of his cloak, neatly folding it for wash. "I trust no one has treated you unpleasantly?"

"Oh no. Not at all. The citizens have been quite kind to me. It is quite impressive that they haven't fallen into a state of barbarism, seeing as their king is as violent as Ishtar." It glanced at him with a small twinkle in its eyes. "Then again... I believe they would have you to thank for that."

"Hmph... My little brother doesn't really harm Uruk, though it's more like he just leaves the duties to me while he goes out and 'indulge in the values of a king' as he says." Shirou sighed, his eyes holding a sense of forlorn. "He used to have a much better work ethic when he was a kid."

Enkidu chuckled. "I know. I saw."

Shirou paused. "Saw?"

"I'm older than you'd think, mortal. The gods engineered me ever since your younger brother ascended to the throne. You could call me... an insurance policy." Enkidu revealed with an apologetic smile. "I'm designed to be his equal in every way. The gods knew how dangerous he could be if he were to go out of control, so they molded me out of clay and gave me dominion over the earth. If Gil hadn't used his weapons as ammunition, I may have very well killed him in our bout."

Shirou winced. The vault that stored all of Gil's treasures wasn't actually a huge room in the basement of his palace. Rather, it was a dimensional storage space that was created through their mother's magic to better organize his belongings. Opened with a specially made key, it allowed him to physically interact with its contents. Using the vault as a launcher had never crossed his mind before, though.

"So why haven't you killed him yet?" Shirou asked carefully, watching the being's eyes for any sign of its intentions. "He's weakened... and he clearly sees you as a friend. Taking him by surprise would be a trivial matter."

"Because that would be against the wishes of the gods." Enkidu declared as it placed its hands on its lap. "They asked for punishment, not murder. He is their bridge that connects their world to the mortal world. If I were to destroy him... they would no doubt be furious."

"I see..." Shirou murmured as he sat down on the bed. "That's a relief, I guess."

*BANG*

The two of the suddenly looked up as the bathroom doors flew open, revealing Gilgamesh in all of his naked glory. A golden ray of light illuminated from his crotch, ultimately covering the area as it shone with brilliance.

"I have finished my bath! Now, it is time for us to feast!" Gil declared with a grin as he strolled in without bothering to grab a towel. He suddenly blinked when he saw Shirou. "Dear brother! You have finally returned! I was beginning to get bored waiting for you! Have you finished cooking yet?"

Shirou closed his eyes and stood up. "No. I just got back. Wait another hour."

"Eh?!" Gilgamesh gaped at him as if he had been punched in the gut. "So you're saying you haven't started yet?!"

"No."

"Bah! Then what am I supposed to do until you're finished?!" Gil complained while Enkidu watched with raised eyebrows, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Did you give Enkidu a tour of the city? Or did you immediately come here after I asked you to?" Shirou asked, earning pause from the king. He sighed. "There, you have your answer. Give Enkidu a few rounds around the city. The food should be done by the time you get back."

"It better be..." Gilgamesh grumbled before grabbing Enkidu's hand to pull it along as he ran out the door. The lump of clay looked quite surprised by this action, but made no attempt to break out of it.

"Come! I shall show you all the wonders this city has to offer!"

Shirou groaned as he watched the two of them go.

"He didn't even put on any pants..."


	4. Prologue (3 Babylonia)

"You're starting to get more grey hair."

Shirou stiffened slightly as Enkidu pointed out that fact. The former lump of clay rested her head on his lap with a quiet look as she played absently with his hair, reaching up with a dainty hand.

Ever since the weapon of the gods moved in with them, Shirou had often found it difficult to hold a conversation with the green haired being. It was mostly because he could not place a finger on what Enkidu's gender really was, and referring to gilgamesh's new friend as an 'it' felt really degrading and rude. It led to some pretty awkward moments between the two of them that they have both chosen to sweep under the rug.

If you had a person who was so damn beautiful that it transcended the concept of genders, you would know just exactly how confused he was about Enkidu.

Luckily, Enkidu was a very understanding individual. Since it had no gender when it was born, it let Shirou call it whatever he wanted to. After all, it could technically become anything it wanted.

So, Shirou began calling it a 'she'. The form was modeled after Shamhat, so it was only fitting.

"Less than usual, though. The decrease in work certainly has helped." Shirou smiled as he messed with a small device in his hand. He tapped it once, only for it to fizzle and pop as it shattered into smaller pieces. He sighed. "How frustrating..."

Enkidu chuckled. "Yet you've used that time trying to build all these new devices of yours. Gil is starting to get quite fed up with that act, you know. Your inventions are slowly taking away his adoring attention."

"Not my fault I'm doing something revolutionary to turn Urk into the best city the world has ever seen. If Gil wants to do something about it, he should do something that is actually worth praising." Shirou shrugged as he began scooping up the remains of his device.

"Mmm... He has actually thought about that." Enkidu said as she sat up. "One of the servants has informed him of a particularly powerful monster that lives in the cedar wood forest. Do you know about it, perchance?"

"I've heard. It killed 8 soldiers and crippled a dozen more who were sent to kill it. Shame, really. That place has the best quality wood in the entire country. Then again, it's not surprising that a monster has taken a liking to that place." He glanced at Enkidu with a curious look. "So what does this have to do with Gil?"

"Your brother, having decided that he needed to reinsert himself back onto the food chain, believed that vanquishing this monster would be the perfect thing to put him back on top and win back the adoration of the people." Enkidu said with a smile.

Shirou's eyes narrowed. "Something tells me that he wouldn't have done it without your insistence."

"Actually, he was the one who came up with the idea. It was quite surprising, but he has declared that no monster would deny him of the greatest materials in the world." Enkidu looked around for a moment before adding with a whisper, "Though if I were to be honest... I feel like he wishes to do the deed for the people. It has been quite a while since he had any... good recognition."

Shirou winced. That's far too true. While Enkidu's arrival had done wonders on making Gilgamesh less tyrannical, he still wasn't acting like a good leader. As usual, he left most of the work to the servants and his dear older brother. Thankfully, he hasn't impaled or tried to bed anybodies wife since Enkidu came. If anything, he has become a lot more mellow and carefree.

Even so, this was not how a king was supposed to act. Pawning off work to others while he enjoyed all the pleasures of life... It made a couple strands of hair on his head go grey just by thinking about it.

Then again... If Gilgamesh is starting to take action to receive recognition from the people, perhaps it would only be a matter of time before he took his duties as king seriously once again.

Thank the gods for Enkidu.

"I see... Yes, that is a good first step." Shirou nodded in agreement as he stood up. "How long do you two plan to be gone?"

"The forest is past the seventh mountain range, so I believe we will be gone for at least 5 weeks or so." Enkidu shrugged. "As for how long it will take for us to defeat the monster... I'm not quite sure."

"You're not sure?" Shirou raised an eyebrow at that. Enkidu was a powerful weapon of the gods, created to defeat his brother. What kind of monster was out there that could even compare to that?

"I was a beast once, Shirou. I knew all kinds of monsters that roamed the land. I was even friends with some of them." Enkidu explained as she gained a thoughtful look on her face. "Some of them are quite fearsome. Even the gods tend to leave them alone since they can become quite bothersome to deal with. Though there numbers are such that I can count them on both hands, no ordinary monster would set the Cedar Forest as their territory. Only one comes to mind, but I pray that it is not who I think it is."

Shirou frowned at that, a flicker of worry coming across his face. Monsters that were so powerful that they made Enkidu pray to the gods... just exactly where did these beings come from?

Upon seeing his worry, Enkidu gave him a small smile of reassurance. "Do not worry, Shirou. No being is unbeatable. With the combined strength of Gil and I, we shall be victorious."

"If you say so..." Shirou muttered, obviously still worried. Even if those two were currently the strongest beings in Urk, he still had his brotherly instincts that were ingrained into him.

Enkidu giggled, a soft sound that sounded harmonious in nature. "You still worry about him... What would Gilgamesh say if he found out about this, I wonder?"

Shirou snorted and looked away. "No matter how much he changes, I'll always worry about him." He suddenly glared at Enkidu with a slightly embarrassed look. "And if you tell him about it Enkidu, I won't let you take care of the palace gardens that you love so much."

The green haired being just laughed as she grasped his hand. "Your secret is safe with me. No need to get so embarrassed by it. I, for one, believe it to be your must endearing trait."

Shirou could feel the heat rise to his cheeks as she said that. This new personality of hers is quite... forward. When she first arrived, she didn't really have much in terms of a personality. She would spend most of the days in silence, and would only briefly reply when either of them addressed her directly.

After the first couple weeks though, her personality began to slowly develop out of her quiet phase. Slowly but surely, her personality slowly morphed into something that resembled a cross between him and Gilgamesh. While she could often be seen smiling and had no problem helping others, she had Gil's attitude when it came to dealing with enemies. Though since her personality was a cross between theirs, she at least had a good sense of right from wrong unlike Gil's 'holier than thou' attitude.

Enkidu spent most of her time with Gilgamesh as he dragged her around his city, but she had also considered Shirou to be a close friend as well. Their interactions were few, but they did enjoy each others company.

"Anyway, it is almost time for me to go. Gil will start to get impatient if I keep him waiting for too long." Enkidu said as she let go of his hand. "I assume you wouldn't want to come with us?"

"Someone has to keep the kingdom in order while you two are away." Shirou sighed, placing his hands back in his pockets. His face suddenly softened considerably as he watched Enkidu go. "Just come back safely, alright? I don't think I can handle Gilgamesh without you to rein him in."

"Mmm... You have my word."

The door closed behind Enkidu, leaving Shirou alone in his room. After a couple of seconds, he sighed in annoyance when he realized just what exactly this meant for him.

Guess he was going to be busy... again...

* * *

"You've been spending time with my brother again, have you?"

Enkidu merely smiled at the annoyed grumblings from Gil as they trudged along towards the Cedar Forest. It has already been thirty minutes since they had left, and it was only now that Gilgamesh had decided to make his displeasure known.

"Is it wrong of me to do so? We don't necessarily talk to each other as much as we'd like." Enkidu's smile suddenly widened. "Don't tell me... Are you perhaps jealous that I've been spending my time with him as well?"

Gilgamesh huffed and looked away, though Enkidu just briefly caught a tint of red that appeared on his cheeks.

"I, the king, am not jealous of my brother. He is the only person in my life who is worth my time, but he has become increasingly frustrating to deal with. The attention he has garnered has almost surpassed mine! If he wasn't my brother, I would have blasted him for this transgression!"

"Your brother is more active with the people, Gilgamesh. You know this yourself, don't you? If you acted like he did, everyone will be more than happy to welcome you as their king." Enkidu frowned. "But your personality pushes them away. They do not respect you anymore. Rather, they fear you."

At this, Gilgamesh suddenly halted in his tracks. Enkidu looked at him curiously, noting the complete lack of emotion on the king's face. His prideful demeanor had vanished as well, and for a moment, it felt like he was looking at the real Gilgamesh.

"My brother said the same thing once." He chuckled, recalling a far distant memory. "But alas, I choose the path of isolation. My way of kingship is one that my subjects will never understand. Perhaps my brother, but I doubt he will even approve." He turned to look at Enkidu, a bright look in his eyes. "I am their king because it is worthwhile. I do not seek to completely shelter them like my brother, however, for the only way humanity can grow is to persevere through trials.

He glared at the sky. "I have been given dominion over the Heaven and Earth, thus it is only logical that I am the greatest in the world. I do not have to look after the people, nor am I entitled to. If I wish to bed a man's woman, I shall. If I wish to take all of the jewelry my people own, I shall. Nothing is denied to me, and nobody may go against me."

Enkidu raised an eyebrow. "But do you not understand the evil in what you are doing? The people do not have to suffer, yet you let them anyway."

Gilgamesh laughed, a harsh sound that was oddly devoid of his usual haughtiness. "In truth, I wasn't created to be a true king. I was created to be a neutral observer of both the gods and man. I indeed own the title of King, but such a title is meaningless to me. I am not like my father Lugalbanda, or the kings who came before him. I was created to observe the world... and I can only do so if I distanced myself from others."

Green eyes narrowed. "So you distanced yourself from your people for the sole purpose of observing everything equally?"

"Indeed! Everything has worth, but there are those who have more worth than others. For me, who has reached the apex of all life forms, everything is beneath me. Though from what I have seen, humanity is one of those rare gems in the dirt. They are weak alone, but their desire to rise above each other is magnificent. Their worth is greater than anything else, even above the gods."

Thunder rumbled in the air, and Enkidu glanced up at the sky with a slightly nervous expression. Despite this, Gilgamesh continued on without any concern.

"I can only imagine that you're questioning why we we are on this mission if I declare to hold no attachment to my subjects."

"You could say that."

"It is because out of everything in this world, humanity's path intrigues me the most. With my sight, I have caught rare glimpses of their oncoming future and I wish to see how it ends."

He laughed once again. "I see them reaching out to the light many years away, and I wish to see that day with my own eyes."

Enkidu remained silent as she watched the golden king laugh. In truth, she had indeed understood the meaning behind Gilgamesh's words. He only wished to observe humanity's future because it was simply a form of amusement for him. It wasn't something born out of righteousness, but simple plain amusement.

It was no wonder why the gods had sent her down to punish him. He held no attachment to anything but his treasures and perhaps his brother, but she could also detect a faint sense of loneliness in his words.

He was truly no ordinary man... but handling him was certainly like handling a beast of the wild.

Enkidu looked up at the sky and closed her eyes.

 _"How do you deal with him, Shirou?"_

* * *

"Bring me the next report!"

Shirou ordered with a snap of his fingers as a line of servants with tablets in their hands shifted forward. Around him, everyone was bustling about as the day dipped into the evening.

Sitting upon the golden throne of king, a seat only reserved for Gilgamesh, Shirou made himself comfortable as he examined tablet after tablet and gave out orders with an authoritative tone.

"You say that the crops are being sacked by monsters again? Then station more soldiers along the borders. You have my permission to take a handful of weapons of your choosing from the vault."

"Yes sir!"

"The wall is in need of repair on the eastern half? The Cedar Forest is currently unavailable, but that is no excuse for leaving it the way it is. Gather the necessary stone and begin a temporary reconstruction until we can harvest wood from the Cedar Forest again."

"Right away, Sir!"

"And these are the most recent astrology reports, yes? Good. You have done well. Quickly send it with the others."

"Thank you, sir!"

Shirou waited until the last messenger left the room before releasing a sigh of relief. Wiping a small amount of sweat from his brow, he enjoyed the quiet reprieve that he had received for the day.

"Water, sir?"

He cocked his head to the side to see Siduri offering a small goblet of water to him. Giving her a small smile of thanks, he took the drink and enjoyed the cool water as it slid down his throat.

"Thank you, Siduri. It has alleviated my burden somewhat." Shirou said to the young priestess, to which she bowed in response.

"It is of no problem, sir. Lord Gilgamesh has left you in charge, and we certainly appreciate your wise words and judgement." Siduri declared.

"Wise, huh..." Shirou muttered with an amused look before shaking his head. "I hardly consider myself a wise person, Siduri. I have never trained to be a king."

"You say that, but you lead all of us spectacularly. You have the makings of a true king!" Siduri praised, a small twinkle of admiration in her eyes. Shirou just chuckled when he saw this. He had that effect on the younger generation.

"I can barely get through these weeks, Siduri. I do not possess the constitution my brother has." Shirou said wistfully as he stared off into the distance. "When my brother gets back, I'd gratefully turn the throne back over to him. This is hard work..." He suddenly paused when he saw the stewardess flinch out of the corner of his eye. "Siduri?"

"B-but... Gilgamesh isn't a... a good-"

"A good king?" Shirou finished, earning an ashamed nod in response. He inwardly sighed. He supposed it wasn't a surprise that some of his people thought that. He honestly would have been amazed if none of them found fault in his brother's leadership skills.

"He used to treat all of us with kindness... yet he doesn't care about any of us now." Siduri whimpered, obviously upset about this. "What could have possibly happened to him?"

Shirou closed his eyes sadly. "I do not know, nor do I think we will ever know. Gilgamesh has grown up from the childish boy we once knew, and I doubt he will ever revert back to what he once was." He glanced down at her, looking like he had aged several years. "But he is still your king... the one the gods decreed to be put in charge. There is nothing we can do to change that."

"I know that, but-"

"But you wish it could be different. I understand. I am the one who is disappointed in him the most, after all." Shirou muttered as he placed his hands under his chin. "But he has become quite more lenient with Enkidu around, so there is at least a chance that he might take his kingly duties more seriously in the future."

"I hope so..." Siduri muttered as continued to look upset. It was clear that she had not told anyone about these thoughts of hers, for fear of Gilgamesh bringing his wrath down upon her if he found out. It was unhealthy, but it was better than being assaulted by Gilgamesh.

"Cheer up, Siduri. I'll always be here to keep my _younger_ brother in check." Shirou declared with a small smirk of encouragement, which seemed to lighten up the mood a bit as Siduri stood up straighter.

"R-right! Of course, sir!"

Shirou chuckled. "Good. Now then, can you-"

"SHIROU, SIR!"

The doors swung open as a messenger burst in, but it was clear he was in distress. His clothes were tatters, and there were numerous cuts and bruises all around his body.

"What is the meaning of this?" Shirou asked as he stood up, a serious expression on his face.

The man paused to catch his breath for a few seconds before speaking. "Wind... Demon... close to the southern wall..."

Shirou's look turned into a scowl as he stepped off of the throne. A demon... out here? They were fearless beings, but he knew that most of them kept well away from Urk. Whatever demon had decided to drop by must be incredibly strong, or incredibly stupid.

Either way, beings like them could not be underestimated. He would have to deal with the threat personally.

"Siduri! Take over while I am gone. I must dispose of this threat immediately." Shirou ordered as he headed for the door, leaving the priestess to do her duties without waiting for a response.

* * *

"Lord Shirou, you're here!"

The guards upon the wall cheered as Shirou climbed the stairs to meet them. He wasn't dressed in his casual clothes, but was now donned in attire for war. Unlike Gilgamesh's golden armor, he wore a special set of white armor that was clearly made to be a matching set with Gil's own golden armor. However, instead of looking like a bulky mass of metal, the plates looked much more thinner and more flexible. Kind of like a second skin that allowed for much more freer movement while also retaining a sense of defense.

It had taken a couple weeks for him to perfect it, but it was worth it in the end. His own fighting style was very different from Gilgamesh, who preferred to just bombard his targets with weapons from his own treasury while he stood from a safe distance.

Unlike his brother, he used his weapons like they were intended to be used. While firing his weapons like arrows certainly had an appeal, he preferred not to use the vault like that unless it couldn't be helped.

He turned towards one of the guards. "Report."

"Yes Sir!" The guard saluted as he stepped forward, though it was clear that he was nervous. "The demon suddenly attacked us with gusts of air out of nowhere. Yet, it hasn't made any attempt to breach the walls. We tried to send a small platoon of soldiers to attack, but they have all been incapacitated."

Shirou's eyes narrowed. "I see... show me this demon."

The guard nodded and led him over to the edge of the wall. Following his finger, Shirou could just see a shape at the bottom of the wall that was vaguely humanoid.

Upon closer inspection, however, it was certainly not human. While it had two arms and legs, there were two pairs of black wings that sprouted out of its back. Its head was similar to that of a lion, and its fingers were like the talons of an eagle. Snapping behind it was a thorny tail with a pincer at the end, reminiscing that of a scorpion.

It was like a Chimera, a being that was amalgamated from animalistic and human parts.

"Well, isn't this troublesome..." Shirou muttered as the demon looked up at him, baring its jaw and showing off its pointy teeth.

"YOU! I AM PAZUZU, DEMON OF THE SOUTHWEST WIND! I HAVE COME TO CHALLENGE KING GILGAMESH!"

The soldiers flinched at sound the demon's words. Even from such a distance, those words caused them all to vibrate with fear. A demon was not something one would take lightly, after all.

"King Gilgamesh is not here right now. Come back another time." Shirou responded with a deadpanned look as he stared down the demon. At this, a harsh growl arose from the monster's throat.

"He is not here? Fool! What sort of king leaves his kingdom unattended?!" The demon stomped his foot and the calm wind suddenly turned into a howl as it seemingly responded with the newfound rage. "I have heard that he has become quite the tyrant... but I had not expected this."

"If you wish to challenge the king, wait two weeks. I'm sure he will be back from his journey by then." Shirou declared as he stepped away from the ledge and turned around, preparing to head back to the temple. He still needed to get through all of the unnecessary tablet work that had surely piled up while he had been gone.

However, he froze in his step when the numerous soldiers around him gasped and scrambled away from him.

"How impudent you are, mortal. To turn your back on a demon... Such an unwise decision."

The demon's voice was barely louder than a whisper, but it was definitely much more intimidating. Spinning around, Shirou's eyes turned into a glare as he met the cold stare of the demon. It had approached him silently, even from such a difference in height. He should have been able to at least hear something to detect his presence.

"But I suppose the citizens of Uruk have become quite lax with their king. Perhaps I should punish you all for your laziness." The demon huffed, its eyes turning a shade of red. Even so, Shirou stood his ground and met the being's stare with his own.

"Powerful people have gathered here, demon. Gilgamesh and Enkidu... Should they ever hear about this they will stop at nothing to take your head. Their wrath, however, will be nothing compared to my own." Shirou boldly declared as his arm drifted towards his own swords. For a moment though, it looked like he wouldn't need them.

A flash of recognition passed through the monster's eyes. It was very brief, though Shirou could tell it was something akin to nervousness. Even if it was a demon, its actions held consequences. Having a beast of the gods as your enemy was particularly not a good idea.

But then the demon's eyes hardened. "Gilgamesh, I know. Enkidu, I have personally met. You though... I have never heard of you."

Shirou snorted. The demon underestimated him. Good. This will make this so much easier.

Of course, this didn't mean it would be a walk in the park either. He had heard of the demon Pazuzu, the brother of Humbaba and the master of the southwest wind. In terms of power, he should definitely be on par with the likes of his brother. Within a couple minutes, he could wipe Uruk off the earth on his own. Possibly in seconds if he was enraged.

So his course of action was simple: Get him away from Uruk.

He closed his eyes. "Do not blame me for what happens next, demon."

Before Pazuzu could even reply, Shirou launched himself forward and tackled the demon over the edge of the walls, plummeting towards the ground below. Having been taken by surprise, Pazuzu could do nothing more than gape in shock as they approached the ground together. In the entirety of its life, no mortal had ever attempted something like this!

"You're mad..." Pazuzu declared, its eyes glowing red with rage. Even so, Shirou just smirked.

"Prepare yourself, Lord of the Southwest Wind. I will rip apart your wings and return you to the earth."

The Earth exploded as the two beings finally crashed into the ground below.

* * *

"Gil has certainly found some interesting company."

Enkidu flexed her toes nervously as she sat across the table in company of Gil's own mother, Ninsun. Even if the goddess didn't radiate power like that of a warrior, she held a presence that seemed infinitely more dangerous.

A cunning personality. If she decided it, she could have him killed on the spot. Just one word to the head gods, and they could decree their weapon's own death. Such a thing was impossible for her to defend against, for she was a complete creation of the gods.

Plus, this woman was Gil's own mother. Any woman who could get away with talking down to him was clearly not one to trifle with.

Gilgamesh had taken his new friend to meet his mother with the intent on asking her for a divine blessing. While such a thing may be trivial, Gilgamesh had declared that a blessing from a mother allowed the two of them to consummate their newfound friendship. Now though, she was kind of regretting coming face to face with this woman.

"The gods have told me about you, dear. You were made to punish my son." The goddess leaned forward, a dark look in her eyes. "You were made to be his natural enemy, but you haven't killed him... why is that?"

Enkidu bit her lips. "Our battle ended in a tie... and I didn't wish to endanger the civilians of Uruk with another continued battle."

"Hoh? Is that so..."

Ninsun leaned backwards and her look softened somewhat, though it hadn't loosened completely. "I had not expected something like emotions coming from you. The gods described of a powerful beast, but you do not fit that description. If anything, you are too passive. Why is it that you choose to follow my violent son?"

"Simple curiosity." Enkidu answered honestly. "Being alongside your son will allow me to keep a closer eye on him. And..."

"And?" Ninsun raised an eyebrow curiously.

"I made a promise to his brother..."

Ninsun's eyes widened. "Shirou?" At enkidu's quiet nod, she couldn't help but sigh. "I see..."

It did not surprise her one bit that her oldest son had a hand to play in all of this. He was always looking out for Gil's safety, but he also wasn't one to leave a person behind. He had no doubt welcomed Enkidu with open arms, his heart not allowing him to turn away anyone in need.

Perhaps that was why he was her favorite compared to his brother.

She did find it quite amusing though. The man who makes weapons got along well with a weapon of the gods... What a fitting match.

"Perhaps I misjudged you a tiny bit." She declared as she stood up. "If Shirou has decided to trust you, I shall do so as well. If anything, his judgement on character is much more sound than mine. I shall allow you to continue traveling with my son."

"Thank you, Miss Ninsun." Enkidu stood up and bowed reverently, remembering the lessons on manners Shamhat had taught her. The concept was quite foreign for her, but it seemed to finally draw a smile from the goddess.

"I have granted you my blessings. Gilgamesh will most certainly be happy about this." Ninsun smiled, before turning serious once again. "The two of you have a difficult road ahead if you plan on defeating the beast of the Cedar Forest... I trust you know this, right?"

"Yes... I know who the beast is." Enkidu nodded.

"Then I trust you know what to expect."

Enkidu winced. "Yes, I know."

"Then heed my advice for the coming future." Ninsun declared. "The beast Humbaba is not an invincible monster. No being is unkillable nor unbeatable, and not even the gods and monsters are exempt from this rule. Even so, the beast's divine might is certainly overpowering. Its sheer might is enough to frighten the gods, and there is not a single doubt in my mind that it will draw out fear in my youngest son."

Enkidu's nervousness was now starting to become apparent. In truth, she had felt some slight slivers of doubt in the beginning of their journey that they would be able to defeat the beast but she had quickly quelled such thoughts. Now though, those thoughts were starting to come back with full force with every second that passed.

"That is why... you must keep his spirits up. If you are to defeat the beast, Gil must be able to fight at his full potential without any mental doubts." Ninsun's face softened. "Gilgamesh has always relied on his brother, whether he realizes it or not. Without Shirou, the responsibility has fallen to you. As his first and only friend, do you believe you are up to the task?"

A person of reliance... it was something she had no experience in. She wasn't a ruler, nor was she a person who knew how to lead. She was more of a follower who completed orders without question.

Even so... the success of their mission depended on this. Even if she was inexperienced in this sort of thing, it would be wrong of her to not try. She did make a promise to Shirou, after all.

"I can only promise to try my best." She promised, giving Ninsun a serious look of her own. After a few seconds had passed, the woman let out a sigh of relief.

"That is all I can hope for. Go then, weapon of the gods. I can only do so much for the two of you, but I pray that the two of you may be able to come out of this trial unscathed."


	5. Prologue (4 Babylonia)

The sandstorm roared with fury as the two beings clashed against each other. Arrows of light were cut down by sharp talons, and blades of wind were ripped apart by golden blades.

Shirou quickly moved to the side as Pazuzu swiped at him with his sharp talons. The strike had been so fast, so sharp, it had cleaved blades of wind that shattered a nearby rock construct to pieces. A direct hit from something like that would rip him in half, divine blood or not.

The demon clearly had the strength advantage between the two of them. Its strikes were faster, harder, and far more vicious. If it had been anyone else they would have been torn apart within seconds, not to mention the massive storm that would have robbed anyone of their breath. Literally.

Luckily, he wasn't a normal man.

While the demon was his physical superior, he had no problem avoiding its strikes. He had far more martial skill, and simply had more versatility when it came down to fighting.

He ducked underneath another strike and quickly let loose several light arrows from close range, piercing the demon's chest with precision. With a roar of pain, the demon stomped its foot and a gust of wind blew him backwards, forcing him to roll to regain his balance.

"You dare..." Pazuzu growled with a look of anger as it eyed the arrows that were sticking out of him. "A mortal like you dares to strike back against the likes of me?!"

Shirou remained silent as he stood up and simply snapped his bow in half, returning it to its double-blade form. Gripping the oversized swords with ease, he planted them in the dirt and made a small gesture with his hand.

The demon's nostrils flared. "So you truly wish to throw your life away... You piece of mortal TRASH!"

With a roar, Pazuzu resumed its onslaught of attacks as the two of them closed the distance between them. Steel met talons as they exchanged blows, causing the air around them to screech once again as they put all of their strength into their blows. In contrast to the demon's lumbering form, Shirou's was more fluid and graceful like water.

Their battle was a dance of death, the two of them darting around each other as they tried to find a conclusive opening. Even if one misstep could spell their doom, neither of them backed off.

Each of Shirou's blades gave shallow cuts as they bit into Pazuzu's skin, angering the demon even more so as the battle continued on. Their strikes grew harder, and their speeds were starting to increase as they tried to surpass each other and gain the upper hand.

*CLANG*

Shirou quickly raised a blade and narrowly deflected a talon that had been seconds away from gouging his brain out. Taking advantage of the demon's unbalanced state, he quickly stepped in and slashed outwards as he poured a portion of his magical energy into the blades. Two golden slashes of light were sent hurtling out of the weapons, overlapping each other to form an 'X'.

Pazuzu reacted quickly, crossing his arms in front of him while his black wings surrounded his form in a defensive position resembling that of a cocoon just before the blades impacted. With a bright explosion, the demon was forced backwards as the blast propelled him away.

"I see... Even that is not enough." Shirou muttered in annoyance as Pazuzu violently unfolded his wings, releasing a gust of wind that blew a circle of sand away from him. Aside from the soots of dust and black spots, the demon looked completely unharmed. The attack had done absolutely nothing to him.

Without giving Shirou any time to come up with another plan, Pazuzu closed the distance between them and resumed the onslaught with even more determination and edge, not willing to let himself be weakened by a mere mortal.

To an onlookers perspective, they would say that Shirou held the advantage here. His smaller form and frame in comparison to Pazuzu allowed him to dodge attacks and counterattack. Indeed, the amounts of hits Shirou had given was nearly double the amount that he has received. If he were to keep this up he could surely win, right?

However, Shirou knew that he would have to eventually end this battle soon. His own strength was coming to an end while Pazuzu's just continued to grow. He gave it only four more minutes before the demon would be able to completely overpower him.

Shirou gritted his teeth as the demon suddenly caught him with a lucky backhand, knocking one of his swords into the sand and putting him flat on his back. The demon's form loomed ominously above him, obviously ecstatic with this turn of events if the glowing red eyes and toothy smile were anything to go by.

"Die, mortal!"

Pazuzu howled with triumph as it leapt down upon him with its claws outstretched to rip him into tiny pieces. From such a position, any defense he could put up would be meaningless. He could try and block with his remaining sword, but his unfavorable position on the ground would only allow Pazuzu to impale him with a minimum amount of effort.

But even so... he was not defenseless.

*WHOOSH*

"GRAH!"

Pazuz suddenly roared once again with pain as two weapons slammed into his wings, cleaving them in half and leaving them a mangled wreck. The pieces that remained were held by only a few strands of bone and meat, giving him the appearance of a starving vulture of sorts.

Shirou quickly rolled to the side and braced himself as the demon's talon slammed into the sand next to him, causing an explosion of dust to kick up and knock him back once again. Even if the sudden pain had slackened and diverted Pazuzu's strike, it still had an incredibly destructive effect. If it had hit him square on, it would have crumpled his armor.

"Still... I guess this is better than the alternative." Shirou muttered as he spat into the sand and ignored the aching that was spreading through his body. Looking around, he inwardly cursed when he realized that his swords were no longer on him. They had most likely gotten lost in the explosion.

Speaking of which...

As the dust cloud was blown away by the sandstorm, Shirou could make out the injured form of Pazuzu as he nursed his shredded wings. Dark black ooze poured out of the wounds like tar, causing the sand around him to turn black upon contact.

"I-impossible..." The demon hissed as it clutched its wings, a look of total disbelief on its face. "A mortal like you managed to wound me this gravely?"

"You underestimated me, demon. And I... underestimate no one." Shirou declared as a golden portal appeared over his hand and a large axe came out, engraved with numerous runes that glowed with yellow light. "The treasury of Urk was made to keep demons like you at bay... I told you that challenging me would be foolish."

Pazuzu growled as he eyed the weapon, an obvious look of distaste apparent. "Summoning weapons mid-fight... that's cheating!"

"Arguing the rules of warfare with a demon is laughable." Shirou deadpanned as he casually hefted the axe over his shoulder. "Each weapon inside the treasury of Urk was of my own creation or collected. Thus, am I simply not using every weapon at my disposal?"

The golden axe in his hand was actually an anti-demon weapon that he had crafted on the off chance that Urk would have to battle against demonic forces in the future. The runes had been blessed by the priestesses of Ishtar, giving it an incredibly potent effect against the demonic forces as a weapon of war against the demonic forces.

Other than that, it was just a really strong axe. Good at cutting with its weight and edge, but it could only show its strength when it comes against an opponent of demonic nature.

"So are you ready to surrender, demon? I will be lenient if you choose to stop this fight now." Shirou offered as he planted his axe in the ground.

He suddenly frowned, however, when the demon hunched forward and began shaking. His grip tightened on the weapon and his eyes narrowed. Was this a trap? Was this some sort of way of getting him to lower his guar-

"Ha... ha ha ha..."

Shirou's eyes widened. Even over the sound of the sandstorm, the demon's laughter could be heard clearly. It was honestly quite ominous and he would be lying if he said that he wasn't concerned with such a turn of events.

"Surrender? To a mortal? I do not think so." Pazuzu stood up and gave what could only be called a smirk. "Even so... I believe that commendations are in order. I applaud you for your bravery, I applaud you for your strength. To wound me like this... you are not a mere human."

Pazuzu spread his arms dramatically, his shredded wings being of no bother to him whatsoever. "You have done well to climb so high! To reach the realm of the gods is a worthy feat for beings as fragile as you. But even so..."

*buzz*

*Buzz*

*BUZZ*

Pazuzu's smirk widened when Shirou looked around him with wary and slightly concerned eyes. A buzzing sound had appeared around them. Small at first, but it was quickly starting to pick up.

"What are you doing..." Shirou muttered as he observed his surroundings, his ears twitching in annoyance. That sound was incredibly familiar, but he just couldn't place his finger on it.

"I could simply whip up even more wind and wipe this entire spot off the face of the earth, but I have something special for you. A quick death is something you do not deserve. You deserve more than that..."

*BUZZZZZ!*

Shirou felt sweat go down his forehead as the buzzing sound continued to grow louder. It had gotten so loud at this point that he could honestly feel his head rattling in response.

"I am the master of the winds... yet I am also the demon that strikes with plagues! Countries that displease me are struck with famine, and only until the bodycount has reached the mountains will my anger will be satiated! Look upon my overwhelming strength and despair, for I will suck the blood out of you until you are nothing more than a husk!"

Shirou's eyes widened as a moving mass of black tore directly through the sandstorm. It was like a living creature, though it moved and flew through the air unlike any winged creature in Urk. As it approached, the buzzing sound in the air continued to grow louder, and it was only until he squinted at it did he finally realize what it was.

"Locusts?!"

Indeed. It was a swarm of locusts. Or rather, that was an underwhelming way to describe the amount of locusts that were in front of him. Their numbers easily reached into the millions, perhaps even the billions. In the deserts of Urk, a swarm of locusts were often held as one of the most dangerous insects to come across. Period. Individually they were barely strong enough to pose a threat to a human, but it was a different story when they gathered into a swarm. Often comprised of numbers that could block out the sun, they could rip apart any human, cow, or even divine beasts if they were tenacious enough.

And these were most likely a demonic breed... tailored for mass destruction and famine by Pazuzu himself. They were pitch black with blood red eyes, a symbol of divinity amongst those who possessed it.

He gritted his teeth and held out his weapon. From the way things were going, one weapon wouldn't suffice. He would have to pull out even more from the treasury to survive.

Gilgamesh would be pissed if he ever found out about such a thing, but he couldn't care less. The survival of Urk depended on him!

Pazuzu vanished as the hungry swarm moved past him, completely shielding him from view. He was most definitely alive though, for he doubted that the locusts would devours their master.

"Feel despair, strong one. My locusts have eaten entire civilizations... devoured armies... One person is not enough to stop them. You will die screaming as my pets devour you inside and out!"

* * *

"I've been having dreams lately."

Enkidu blinked as she saw the look on Gilgamesh's face. It didn't hold most of his arrogance as usual, but it held a quiet pondering that was unlike any behavior she had seen from him before. It was a look of... indecisiveness.

"Dreams?" Enkidu asked, her face showing a small amount of concern as she sat up from her position on the ground. The bonfire that they had set up was glowing brightly, throwing shadows across the area and illuminating a small patch along the dark road.

"Indeed... Dreams that I believe will come to pass." Gilgamesh muttered as he placed his hands underneath his chin in a thinking position. "In times of trial, I can receive visions of the future. I normally try to keep this ability sealed, but it seems the situation is dire for it to activate on its own."

"Dire?" Enkidu tilted her head as she scooted closer to him. "Are you saying that there is something in this world that you fear?"

Gilgamesh's face morphed back into his signature scowl. "There is nothing in this world I fear! I would never run away from anything, nor will I quiver in my armor against anyone else! Monster or demon, I am stronger than them all!" He declared boastfully, earning a deadpan look from Enkidu.

"Then what was it?" Enkidu prodded, interested in this vision of his. "What was it that you saw?"

There was an unnerving silence for a moment as Gilgamesh digested that question. He went for several seconds without responding, and Enkidu had thought that he had fallen asleep but a resounding sigh filled the air.

"It was... a vision of a mountain." He began as he stared up at the stars above them. "A really large mountain. Bigger than anything I had ever seen."

Enkidu raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. In truth, she wasn't a seer of any kind. She hadn't been blessed with any such level of clairvoyance, but this definitely sounded like a prophetic vision of sorts.

"I stood at its base as the mountain shook and quivered. Cracks had begun to appear on its side, and it was evidently clear that it was going to collapse." He stared up with a frown. "Within seconds, the only thing I could see was darkness as the rubble fell on top of me. I couldn't even summon my gate to protect myself." He glanced at his companion. "What do you think of this?"

Enkidu closed her eyes as she slowly tried to piece together the secret message that was hidden in the vision. In truth, she couldn't possibly be one hundred percent sure if her interpretation of the dream is right. After all, there could be thousands of different ways to interpret the meaning behind such a vague vision.

However, the fact that a large mountain crashed down on Gil did not bode well for their immediate future. It could refer to a natural mountain, or it could refer to something more.

Like the demon Humbaba for instance. Was this an omen of their inevitable defeat if they were to challenge the demon?

It was a possibility, one she could disregard. From the looks of it, she wouldn't be surprised if such a thought had floated around Gilgamesh's head. He wasn't dumb by any means, but his enormous ego would no likely lead him to dismiss such an idea.

Still, she could tell that he was obviously annoyed by the vision. If she said the wrong thing, it could potentially affect his performance later on.

So she would have to twist her words a little bit.

"Well if you want my personal opinion... I believe this is a good sign of our future." Enkidu began, earning an intrigued look from Gil. "That crumbling mountain resembles Humbaba... And the mountain's crumbling state signifies its defeat at our hands."

"But what about-"

"There is no certainty that we will get out of the battle unscathed. Humbaba is a beast more powerful than even me. Something no single god can control on their own." Enkidu shrugged. "It'll take everything in our power to defeat it."

"I see..." Gilgamesh murmured quietly before a smug look crossed his face. "Ah... of course. Such an outcome is inevitable. As if I would fall against a wild beast..."

Enkidu simply sighed in exasperation while Gilgamesh just continued to chuckle. This journey would be quite long for the two of them.

* * *

Shirou quickly planted his axe in the round and re-opened the treasury as the swarm of locusts moved towards him. Mere seconds before they descended upon him, a golden portal opened up and spewed out a torrent of fire that engulfed the entire front line of insects.

Charred crisps rained down upon him, filling the air with charred smoke as hundreds of locusts were incinerated at once. The back line of the locusts had swerved away and retreated backwards upon seeing the flame, their instincts stopping them from rushing in upon seeing their brethren's charred husks on the ground.

"So not only do you have weapons, you posses a myriad of magical items at your disposal... Intriguing."

Pazuzu's voice echoed around him with interest, though his form was hidden by the sandstorm and the cloud of locusts. Shirou gritted his teeth in annoyance and opened even more portals which spewed out more fire to keep the insects at bay.

In truth, he wasn't that good at using elemental magic. Creating a magic sword was easy for him, but utilizing blasts of fire and ice were a little harder to do. That was why he had the numerous magi create wands that could fire on command with a simple infusion of prana. It bypassed the weakness, but it limited each wand to only a single elemental affinity.

Luckily for him, this was also easily circumvented.

His swiped his hand and even more portals opened up, this time around the swarm. The locusts buzzed to a stop as the numerous wands began to poke out of the gate.

"Hyah!"

The resulting fireball was massive, easily turning the patch of sand into glass and leaving scorch marks at the outer layer of the blast. Despite this, Shirou grimaced in annoyance as a stream of locusts buzzed away from the area. They were greatly reduced in number, but there were still plenty left to pose a threat.

"!"

He suddenly turned and quickly summoned a shield in front of him. A second later, an unseen force smashed into the steel plate and chipped it as the energy was redirected to the side, causing an explosion of dust.

"How long do you expect to hold out? Sooner or later you will slip up, and that will be the moment when my pets devour you from head to toe."

Shirou grimaced at that image, but continued to focus on trying to pinpoint the demon's location. The remaining locusts had split up into multiple groups, but they were each still large enough to complete obscure the demon from sight.

He raised the shield again as another blade of wind was sent towards him. Immediately, he acquired the direction of the attack and where it had been sent from. If the demon decided not to move out of arrogance, then he would at least be able to land a solid blow.

Planting his feet in the ground, he neutralized the attack and prepared for his counter attack. Transferring most of his strength to his right arm, he brought it back and hurled the shield like how one would throw a discus. The metal plate flew through the air in the direction of the attack, disappearing into the targeted swarm.

*BANG!*

"Agh!"

Shirou smirked in triumph as the locusts suddenly dispersed to reveal Pazuzu clutching his shoulder with obvious pain. The shield had been too circular and thick to draw any blood, but it had no doubt smacked the bone out of place or smashed it to pieces.

Pazuzu growled in clear annoyance as the swarms of locusts surrounded him once again, hoping to provide himself a brief respite to recover.

 _"Damn... I let my guard down. Who the hell uses a shield like that?"_ Pazuzu thought with disbelief as he placed a hand on his arm to set the bone back in place. _"Though now I know that move... I won't fall for such a thing twi-"_

Pazuzu's eyes widened as several objects tore through the swarm like arrows of light. Several missed him by mere inches, but two swords had managed to impale his right arm and left leg.

*Crunch*

Pazuzu barely even had time to yell in pain as Shirou's fist impacted the side of his face, sending him tumbling to the ground as his leg gave out from beneath him.

The locusts around him began to swarm towards Shirou in a rage, but quickly halted their charge as Shirou's arm found itself wrapped around their master's neck. His arm bulged with tension as he applied a large amount of pressure into his chokehold, but he kept it off just enough to allow his captive to speak.

"W-why... you..."

"Don't let a single one of your little bugs touch me. Demon or not, I'll snap your neck like a twig." Shirou declared as he tightened his grip for emphasis. Pazuzu growled and cursed, but he didn't command any of his locusts to attack. It was true that he was immortal, but that didn't prevent him from 'dying'. If his body were to be destroyed, he would be in a state of perpetual pain. Neither living nor dead, it was a fate that other gods wished to avoid.

Sometimes being able to live forever was a pain in the ass.

"Now here is the deal." Shirou began as he stepped on a stray locust that had been gutsy enough to move towards him. "I will allow you to live on my own terms. Failure to comply will result in me coming back to finish you off, got it?"

Pazuzu remained silent until Shirou's grip tightened. He growled, "Crystal..."

"Good." Shirou slackened his grip, allowing the demon to breathe. "The requests are simple: Do not cause any havoc for Urk ever again. Defend the city against other stray demons. And finally... Offer me your blessings."

Pazuzu paled at the last one. Offering a blessing was something similar to a geass. It was like offering a part of yourself, only given to those who had found favor in a god. In this type of circumstance, however, it would be akin to becoming a familiar of sorts. The ultimate humiliation an immortal could be forced to do!

"Y-you're insane..." Pazuzu muttered, sweat pouring down his mane.

"This is for the continued safety of Urk. Swear this to me, demon. I will not let you go until you do."

The two of them stood in silence for what felt like several hours until Pazuzu groaned in defeat. His hands fell limply to the side as the surrounding locusts began flying away from them and the sandstorm started to die down. The soldiers atop the walls of Urk stared down at them in awe as they saw Gil's brother standing triumphantly over his defeated foe.

He certainly felt triumphant, but his body hurt all over. He could feel multiple bruises all over his body and several welts were lumping up. He would need to take, like, an extra long bath just to make the aching go away.

The price was well worth it though.

"I swear on you... My blessings will go to Urk. Never again will I send a plague to strike your city, nor will I allow any demon to threaten it." Pazuzu sighed, obviously feeling very humiliated right now. This was no way how a demon should act. "Can I go now?"

Shirou relaxed and quietly breathed a sigh of relief before loosening his hold completely. He snapped his fingers and the two swords that had impaled Pazuzu's limbs vanished into golden dust, having been sent back to the treasury.

Pazuzu winced as the wounds began closing at a fast pace. When they finished, he stood up and slowly turned to regard Shirou with a slightly miffed look on his face.

"...I underestimated you."

Shirou nodded. "I do not doubt that."

"I could easily rectify this mistake with a wave of my hand. You know this to be so, don't you?" Pazuzu questioned, a strange look in his eyes.

Shirou just sighed and closed his eyes.

"Yes, but I believe you posses some sort of honor in you. I have spared your life, just as you spared mine by not taking me seriously. We are even, but this loss is yours."

Pazuzu's nostrils flared, but he didn't make a move. Instead, a dry laugh resounded from his throat as he turned away from Shirou.

"Hahaha... Yes, that is indeed true." His newly healed wings extended behind him and he began lifting off the ground. Before he flew away, however, he spared one last glance at Shirou. "I had come here expecting King Gilgamesh... yet you claim not to be him."

"I am his brother. Adopted by his mother."

"I see... Royalty through adoption... how embarrassing of me to be defeated." Pazuzu sighed to himself. "Though I admit my loss. You fight well for a mortal. Perhaps if you wished, you could become king yourself."

Shirou looked away. "I hardly have the capacity to be a king."

Pazuzu tilted his head. "Hardly have the capacity? Most men could not boast of taking down a god or demon, yet you have done so today. A person like that is what the people need."

"They already have a person like that... even if he doesn't act like it."

Pazuzu regarded him for a moment before closing his eyes. Turning around, he quickly took to the skies without a word. No more feelings or emotions had to be shared between the two of them. He had lost and Shirou had won. That's all there was to it.

Shirou quietly watched the demon go and exhaled. Truth be told, he had not expected to come out of this situation alive. If he hadn't been inspired by Gil's technique of throwing weapons out of his gate, he might have been put in a bad situation. Luckily, such a barbaric technique was handy for events like these.

Turning around at the noise of cheering, he found the numerous soldiers atop the walls of Urk yelling and hollering in celebration of his victory. This would be one for the history books. No doubt one of the scholars were already putting it down on a tablet somewhere.

He smiled and began walking back to the city. Urk would get to live another day, and they had just received a powerful ally... even if it had been unexpected.


	6. Prologue (5 Babylonia)

"Why do you think she wore that crown, I wonder..."

Enkidu stood over the top of a large corpse, which had slowly began to decay and rot as it was re-absorbed back into the ground from which it came. Numerous weapons and spikes of earth stuck out of its hide, completely rendering strips of flesh from the body. In comparison to earlier, it was completely unrecognizable.

The Cedar Forest had sustained major damage, with a large portion of it reduced to splinters and scorched earth. It was a temporary problem, however, as this place was known for having particularly strong magical properties. It should repair itself in a week, give or take.

Their battle with Humbaba had been long and hard, as both she and Gilgamesh had been pushed to their absolute limits. Even with their own powers and with Gilgamesh drawing the finest of weapons from the treasury, fatally wounding the beast had been easier said than done. It had been a hard and grueling battle until the beast finally went down under their assault. Everything had its limits, after all.

Even so, this hardly felt like a victory for Enkidu.

She had noticed it midway through the fight, but it had still struck her with a sense of regret. A little crown of flowers sat atop the beast's head. A very odd sight on such a formidable foe.

It may not have held much of a meaning for anyone, but it did for her.

Vaguely, she remembered making a similar crown of flowers in a bed in the Cedar Forest. Back when she was nothing more than a beast of the gods and she had just begun to acquire human intelligence, her first act of free will was to create a garden full of small pale flowers.

For the monster they had just fought.

For a monster that had once been her friend.

Slowly, she felt herself reaching down with her hand to pick up the crown. It was almost as if her body was moving on its own, believing that it wouldn't be right to just leave it alone. It was a foreign feeling for her, but she felt herself acting upon it.

"Stop."

Her hand halted just as she were mere inches away from touching the reef. Stepping beside her, Gilgamesh gently grasped her hand and pushed it away from the flowers in an uncharacteristic fashion.

"Why?" She muttered, not understanding why he would leave it be.

"It was a worthy adversary. A powerful foe. In my infinite mercy, I believe we should not take away the only precious possession it has left. Beast it may be, it was a friend of yours, was it not?"

Enkidu remained silent, but she answered with a small nod.

"Then I shall not seek to disrespect a friend of my friend." Gilgamesh declared as he let go of her hand. "We're returning back to the city... I have no doubt that my brother will give us an earful if we make him wait another day."

He glanced down at the crown of flowers and his expression softened somewhat. It was incredibly rare for him to act like this, but it was probably because he felt that this was something only a friend of his was worthy to see.

"I am not my brother. I am not so familiar with the ways of joys and emotions outside of my own. If I were to guess, however, I believe that this beast held a semblance of human characteristics. A personality of sorts. It could feel joy, sadness, and all of the worldly pleasures like you." Gilgamesh shook his head. "And it is for that reason that I believe it wore those flowers. It is such an ornament, just a single batch of pure flowers, that it brought joy to such a monstrous heart."

Enkidu remained silent, but she could feel her heart ease at such words. As odd as they were to come from the king himself, she couldn't help but smile at how similar those words were to Shirou. Even if they seemed slightly uncomfortable and forced, the truth behind them was evidently present.

Perhaps this was the softer side he rarely brought out. She wished he was like this more often.

"If it is possible..." She whispered, drawing his attention. "Can we come back here again?"

Gilgamesh smiled. "Yes, of course. If you so wish, this king will allow it."

Enkidu gave a smile of her own and nodded in thanks. Turning around, the pair departed the area as they headed back to the city of Urk. Shirou was no doubt worried about them, and was probably tired of running the entire place by himself.

The crown of flowers remained motionless amongst the grass, lingering as a symbol of friendship between the beasts of the gods.

* * *

"What is this?"

Gilgamesh found himself scowling as he watched numerous workers clambering around the walls of his city. It was clear to him that damage had been sustained by the prestigious walls his city hid behind. What foolish foe had the audacity to attack the city? It must have been a monster of sorts, for there was no human who would dare attack the most advanced city in the world.

"A monster attack I assume." Enkidu eyed the scene with a slightly worried look. "Strange... I sense the presence of divine energy. A divine being?"

Gilgamesh scoffed. "A divine being? I highly doubt that. The gods are tied to this place as their seat of their power. To try and destroy the city would undo everything they had worked so hard for." He glared at the gates in the distance, noticing several of the head guards directing construction efforts and shouting at the numerous workers.

Without a word, he began walking towards the gate with Enkidu following behind him. The two of them hadn't been noticed yet by any of the workers, even with Gil's regal presence. They were all too focused with their chores instead of their surroundings.

It wasn't until they were a hundred yards away before someone finally noticed them.

"Lord Gilgamesh!"

At one of the worker's exclamation, nearly all movement had stopped on the site. When everyone fully registered what exactly what was happening, they all scrambled into a neat formation and bowed low with their heads touching the sand as was normal of them when greeting the king.

"W-welcome back your lordship!" One of the head officials in charge of the construction squeaked as he groveled in the sand. "W-we are pleased to know that you have come back safely from the Cedar Forest. Is the beast Humbaba dead?"

Gilgamesh scowled. "Of course the beast is dead. I will never loose to any monster of the gods." He looked around the construction site and his scowl only seemed to worsen. "I was expecting you all to be waiting when I came back, but not like this. Most certainly not like this."

A golden portal opened in the air and the blade of a single sword stuck out of the ripple, making all of the soldiers flinch and fidget nervously. The head guard began to sweat profusely as the tip of the blade touched his skull in a threatening manner.

"Now explain... what has happened while I was away? Depending on what I hear will decide whether this sword goes through your head or not." Gilgamesh declared with cold eyes as the man continued to shake in fear. Luckily, the man seemed to steel his resolve before the king's patience wore out.

"D-demon attack, sir." The man spoke out, trying not to shake too much as the sword pressed more against his head.

Gilgamesh certainly did not look amused and Enkidu gave him a slightly worried look. "Demon attack? What sort of demon would dare attack the city while I am away?" His glare then intensified. "Also, loose the stutter. It's annoying."

"...Yes, sir." The guard muttered, finally managing to calm his nerves down. He continued on with the report. "It was actually the demon of the wind, sir. He declared himself as Pazuzu and had wished to challenge you to a duel."

"A duel? The demon of the wind wanted to duel with me?" A look of annoyance passed Gil's face. "Does it not have other duties to attend to?"

"Pazuzu's only job is to produce famine." Enkidu said with a frown. "He enjoys his job, but it is quite rare for him to be out here. He must have really wanted to fight you."

"Regardless, I wasn't here at the time. I personally wouldn't have bothered to fight a minor beast of plague anyway." Gilgamesh declared haughtily, causing everyone to deadpan. His glare then suddenly returned as a sudden thought occurred to him. "Where was my brother during all of this? I do not believe my brother would remain silent during such an event."

Everyone glanced nervously at each other, causing his ire to increase as he felt his patience be tested. Luckily or unluckily enough though, another worker hesitantly broke the news from the back of the crowd.

"Your brother... took on the beast by himself. He had given us explicit orders for us to stay behind and only intervene if he were to fall in battle." The worker glanced towards the palace behind him. "Um... I believe you'll be pleased to learn that your brother has returned victorious, but he has sustained some injuries... He left the care of the kingdom to your aides before-"

The man suddenly gasped as he felt multiple sword points prick his skin. Gilgamesh's scowling face morphed into one of anger as the swords seemed to shake with the bare minimum of restraint, reacting to his anger.

"Foolishness! Are you not warriors of Urk?! You should have been able to handle it yourself! The fact my brother decided to intervene before any of you could fight is disgraceful!" Gilgamesh growled with obvious displeasure, causing everyone to skirt with barely contained panic as the number of swords began to increase. None of them screamed, however, for that could possibly trigger his ire to begin firing immediately.

Luckily, their only voice of reason with the king, decided it was now time to intervene before everything went to hell.

"Gil..." Enkidu warned with slightly narrowed eyes. "You have better things to worry about. Put your weapons away."

The air went still for several seconds as nobody dared to move. Some were even holding their breaths out of nervousness, hoping that they would at least be able to get out of this unscathed. The two beings stared down each other as they held a silent battle between them, seemingly arguing without the need of words.

Luckily though, Gilgamesh allowed the swords to disappear back into the golden portals with a snap of his fingers. Everyone let out a sigh of relief, but it was quickly squished when Gilgamesh turned to the nearest worker with cold red eyes.

"You... Take me to him."

* * *

"I cannot believe you!"

Shirou looked on in silence as Gilgamesh glared at him from his spot at the edge of the bath. He had thought he would at least get a few more hours of silence and peace, but he should have expected that his annoying younger brother would interrupt his 'me' time.

He sat in the steaming sauna with nothing but a small white cloth that was tied around his waist. His body was still covered with bruises, scars, and locust bites, but they were quickly becoming faded as his body healed itself over the past few days.

"There are guards for a reason! Why did you get involved? Now your body is such a sorry sight to see... I can barely stand to even look at you!" Gilgamesh hissed, his temper beginning to rise with every word.

"Gilgamesh, they're not like us. Against such a powerful demon, they would have been slaughtered. It was necessary for me to intervene." Shirou replied cooly without a change in expression. "Whenever you are gone, it is up to me to make sure that Urk is safe. This was the safest option for everyone."

"You gave them weapons, brother. The finest in the world! If they are weak with a weapon in their hands, they dishonor humanity. They dishonor _me_." Gilgamesh spat as he clenched his knuckles.

"I did give them weapons, though it was you who took ownership of some of my best works." Shirou scoffed as he crossed his arms. "The weapons they have are far from bad, but they are certainly not the ones I wanted them to have. In their hands, it would mean nothing against a demon."

Enkidu watched the two of them nervously from her side as the brothers glared at each other. For a moment, she could have sworn that there were literal sparks flying between them. Even within the steaming sauna, it felt like the temperature had dropped by several degrees.

She would have intervened, but she knew her involvement would only make things worse. This argument was different from all of their previous ones, for Gilgamesh was seemingly acting on a different emotion this time. Unlike his haughtiness and blatant disregard for status, this felt different.

Was it disgust that his brother was injured? Or was it perhaps worry instead?

After what felt like an eternity, Gilgamesh finally huffed and turned away. "We shall discuss this later at dinner." He declared as he pushed through the doors with slightly more force than necessary.

Shirou simply said nothing and quietly let out a sigh before turning to Enkidu with a small smile. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"I am used to it." Enkidu replied with a smile of her own as she walked over and sat down on the ledge next to him, letting her feat dangle on the water. "I was quite worried when I heard the news. Even if Gilgamesh isn't doing a good job of communicating it, you shouldn't have fought Pazuzu by yourself."

"I'm sorry, but it was the only way for Urk to be protected. If we had all ganged up on him, he probably would have gotten serious in a second." Shirou apologized as he leaned back in his seat. "If it makes you better though, I'll try not to do it again."

"Well, neither of us will be going out of the city any time soon." Enkidu laughed, earning a chuckle from Shirou. "There's not much to do out there anyway."

"True, true."

The two of them relapsed into silence, enjoying each others company and the warmth the sauna provided. It had been a couple weeks since they had done something like this, so it felt good for the two of them to catch up.

Shirou craned his neck to look at Enkidu, offering her a small smile as their eyes met. "Would you like to tell me all about your journey? Neither of us have anywhere to be."

"Mmm... Of course."

* * *

"Ah... how interesting."

In a space that was separate of the hunk of rock known as Gaia, a lavishly gold garden was situated in a world of its own. The garden was completely otherworldly, having small domes and pillars that were made out of pure gold, diamonds, emeralds, or whatever valuable piece of earth one could think of. In the center of the garden was a small pool of water, enough to fit a person without issue.

At its edge, a powerful being of almost incomparable divinity and strength stared at the contents within. The only source of light in the entirety of the void emanated from the being, lighting the place up like a miniature sun. Indeed, it was completely divine in nature.

The being was clearly female, but it was one that obviously had no qualms about flaunting its beauty. It had no decent piece of clothing to speak of, wearing only jewelry of different colors and a small shawl that barely contained her nude form. Certain parts of the shawl had been cut out on purpose to dangerously reveal parts of her chest, which would entice anybody who looked upon her figure.

Her body was pale in contrast to the usual tan skin color that most sumerians had. A clear sign that she was a sort of other worldly being. She was smooth and lithe, but strong at the same time.

Calling her a prostitute would not have been right. For while she had no qualms about showing off her nude form, nobody could deny that she looked pure, beautiful, and most of all...

...Powerful.

The aura she gave off was as powerful as a demon, but it felt much more grander and holier in nature. Anybody who knew who she was, however, would know that such a thing was front.

She was a powerful goddess, but she was equally known as someone who had the personality of a spoiled princess. Unlike a princess, however, she was certainly far from weak.

The goddess of Venus, war, and love: **Ishtar.**

Daughter of the king of the gods, she was ranked among the highest in the entire pantheon. As consequence, her level of power was higher than most of the other gods with very few able to match her.

She may have been known as one of the patron goddesses of Urk, but even the civilians knew to tread around her with caution. There have been many legends about her exploits, and all of them ended in misfortune for whatever object of desire she had her eyes set on.

Due to presiding over war and love, her personality was horribly mangled from the outside. She was known for having many male lovers, but she was just as known for leading them to cruel fates on a whim. Her version of love was centered around herself. After all, so long as she was happy, what did it matter to her toys?

Lately, though, her happiness was starting to wane. After all, humans were such fragile creatures. Her last lover had already started to bore her in bed, so she had him fed to the wolves. It was only proper manners to get rid of a broken toy, after all.

But like all women like her, she would need to find a new toy to take its place. Luckily... she found one.

Or two, to be more precise.

The king of heroes Gilgamesh... and his older brother.

Her relatives' little project has grown quite handsomely over the years. Indeed, blessed with such thick divine blood has turned him into quite the unique specimen. Combing both the qualities of a divine spirit and a man has transformed him into something that is neither. His body was perfectly sculpted, his strength nearing that of the gods, and those sharp eyes... She shivered. Who wouldn't want a man like that? Those were the kind who attracted her the most.

And then there was his brother... the adopted child of the old hag. Bathed in divine ointment to heal his wounds, his physicality was not bad as well. Of course, his level of divinity was tiny compared to his brother, but he was just as equally appetizing.

Not only has he proved himself to be a powerful fighter, vanquishing many beasts on his lonesome, but he wasn't half-bad in the looks. That older complexity was handsome in itself.

Her lips cracked open into a smile. Yes... those two would make wonderful new toys for her affections. Her father had forbade her from trying to harm the royal family, but she had no doubt they would succumb to her beauty.

"Ah... I can just imagine it... I'll have two handsome men all to myself." She smiled devilishly. "I'm sure father won't mind if I play around a bit. I'll just have to not kill these two when I'm done with them. Easy."

She suddenly frowned as her eyes traced over a certain green haired individual. "Though... this disobedient weapon will certainly be a problem."

That failure of a weapon was deviating from its original purpose. Ironically, she had been one of the divine spirits who had voted on creating Enkidu. After all, half-god or not, she would not tolerate such rudeness from anyone... not even Gilgamesh. That was partly one of the reasons why she wanted to have him to herself.

To dominate and control... that was the core of her being.

Even so, she would have to admit that trying to make a move with Enkidu around would be quite foolish. Despite being a creation of the gods, the weapon had been given anti-divine attributes in order to restrain Gilgamesh. Unfortunately, that design error made it so that even the gods themselves were susceptible to this attribute. It was certainly a flaw on their part, but such a thing was circumvented when her father held the off switch to their little pet. Even so, she doubted he would turn it off on her whims.

So she would wait for the right moment. Perhaps she should go for Gilgamesh first, since he seemed to be stewing off by himself. She was quite patient, especially when oogling those two boys gave her a way to pass the time.

* * *

Gilgamesh walked through the hallways of his palace with a blank look on his face. An unusual sight, considering how explosive he had been earlier with his brother.

No, perhaps it was because he was explosive that he was incredibly passive right now.

As it was now, the many servants were quietly thankful for this change. He had not threatened the life of anyone he passed in the hallways, much less spared them a cold glare. Perhaps they could have a day without dealing with their king's tomfoolery.

Truthfully, he couldn't really muster up much of his anger today. He had indeed been angry earlier with his brother's actions, but that flame had burned out. All that was left was quiet pondering.

It was just... the sight of his brother like that made his blood boil a bit. Growing up, he had never seen his brother receive such injuries before. Even when fighting against multiple beasts, he usually came home with minor scratches.

Those feelings he held... it was scarily foreign for him. Was this what those common mongrels called, 'concern'?

He shook his head. Ridiculous. There was absolutely no way that he would feel something as weak as 'concern'. He was an observer, not a damn babysitter.

 _"They are not like us, Gilgamesh. Against a powerful demon, they would have been slaughtered."_

Why would he bother with them? Granted, his brother was not created like he was. He was created by the gods, Shirou was adopted by his mother and only given a small portion of divinity. He was closer to the weak crowd than he was.

Even so, he was the only mongrel worthy of his attention. As his brother who was raised alongside him, it was only natural. But it was clear to everyone, including him, that their values were different.

Shirou wanted to guide the people like a parent, holding their hands every step of the way until they were ready. He, on the other hand, wanted to see humanity overcome their trials without help. After all, hardships is required for a civilization to grow. If they were to fall into extinction... then so be it.

His brother didn't see eye to eye with him on that logic. When he was younger, he himself would have believed him. After all, what child didn't look up to his older brother? But when he began to age and acquire intelligence, he arrived at a conclusion that he didn't doubt was wrong. Humanity must persevere through their own trials without his help. Sure, he may grant them a reprieve like when he killed Humbaba, but he did that on a mere whim...

...Yes, most certainly on a whim.

He pushed through the gates to his throne room and marched up to the throne. Slowly, he sat down in the seat and closed his eyes as he felt himself relax a little bit. Whenever he felt troubled, sitting in his prized seat always calmed him down. His throne was decorated with golden jewels and created by some of the best craftsmen Urk had to offer.

Despite its grand look, it was actually quite comfy. The highest quality chair in all of the kingdom, reserved only for him. It was the seat of his power, and the symbol of his kingly authority. Truly, it was one of the greatest treasures he-

"O' Golden King who we have created... Truly, you are someone worthy of my love."

His eyes suddenly snapped open as he felt a divine presence beginning to form in the room. He didn't stand up in alarm, but he felt himself tense up in preparation. As the king, he would not show any weakness... Even from someone whose presence screamed for respect.

At the center of the room, golden particles shimmered into existence to form a being that he would come to hate and despise in the future. Downsized from her usual divine form, the goddess Ishtar stood proudly with a hand to her hip. No longer wearing completely revealing clothing, she wore a glamorous robe that she had felt would best exercise her strength and majesty.

Gilgamesh, however, seemed less than impressed.

"Goddess... What is the meaning of this?" Gilgamesh growled as he stared down the woman without an ounce of fear. It was a look that would have made any mortal freeze on the spot, but the goddess seemed to find it amusing.

"You've piqued my interest, King of Urk!" Ishtar declared as she began to saunter over to him with a sway in her steps, obviously meant to seduce him. A foxy smile appeared on her face. "I've always kept watch over you from afar, but now that I'm closer... You really are more handsome when you're within arms reach."

Gilgamesh's eyes continued to narrow as the goddess stood in front of him, casting her shadow over him. By presenting herself to him like this... it was a subtle attempt at asserting her dominance. To show that she was of equal standing to him. He didn't like it.

He didn't like it one bit.

"Truly, a god-like body." Ishtar purred, tracing her hand across his bare abs. If she looked closer, she would have noticed him tensing with barely contained anger, but she was too enamored with her search to notice. "Even amongst all of my past lovers, your body is way more sculpted compared to them. I doubt anyone will ever hold a body like this in the future."

She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against the side of his ear as she whispered in a seductive voice. "I will not sugar coat this. I want you. Become mine, and I shall open the doors of heavenly pleasure for you."

Such words would have brought any ordinary man to their knees and throw themselves at her in arousal. Indeed, not once had she failed to seduced a man. For if there was one thing all men were susceptible to, it would be their carnal desires. After all, what man would not be entranced by her beauty?

"Become yours... You presume much, goddess. What if I were to refuse your advances?" Gilgamesh questioned, earning a feral grin from the goddess.

"Refuse? Why would anyone wish to refuse me? I know you Gilgamesh, you just can't keep your hands off of beautiful women who catch your fancy. I stand leagues above them, so why reject me?" She cupped his cheek and tilted his head up so he would look her in the eyes. "A treasure like no other... isn't that what you desire?"

"...There is truth in your words, goddess." Gilgamesh admitted slowly, making the goddess' smile widen. It was only natural, her ego naturally would accept any compliment like that.

"However..."

That smile suddenly vanished the next second, however, as she soon found herself flat on her back and staring at the ceiling of the palace. Gilgamesh had stood up from his throne, throwing the goddess off him with a violent shove.

Once she realized what had happened, the goddess quickly scrambled to her feet and gave a searing glare that could melt steel.

"You... You dare lay a hand on ME?!" She screeched, a glowing aura beginning to envelop her as her rage increased. "Why?! To deny a treasure such as me... Am I not the perfect being?!"

Gilgamesh scowled. "Harlot! Do you take me for a fool? I know of your past lovers... how you threw all of them away when you were done with them. You're a witch who does nothing but seduce and destroy! What man would give their heart to you, vile temptress?"

Ishtar's mouth hung open like a fish. Clearly, this had not been the response she had been hoping for. "H-harlot..."

Gilgamesh pointed at her dramatically. "Yes, you! Even the prostitutes of Urk have more decency that you! It is a personal honor to lay with one... yet the only thing one can expect from laying with you would be misfortune!"

He stepped down from his throne, not once stopping from his speech.

"I am the king of Urk! Did you really think you could corrupt me, wench? I would rather fancy the company of your sister instead! At least she is part of the respectable lot."

THAT seemed to stir Ishtar from her gaping.

"Y-you damn king!" She shrieked as a ball of magical light floated above her. "We created you! I own you! Do you dare continue to rebel-"

Ishtar suddenly gasped as Gilgamesh's hand found its way around her throat. While beings like her had no need to breathe, the pressure he was giving off was overwhelming.

"You... do not... own me. None of you gods do." He hissed, his red eyes glowing and meeting her own. "Least of all, you. You're nothing more than a spoiled princess, feeding off of daddy like a leech."

He released his hold from her and she stepped back with a hiss, cradling her neck as she began to right herself and regain composure. She was absolutely furious. For her to be reduced to such a state... her pride would not allow it!

"Y-you insolent bastard..." She rasped as she raised her hand and began to channel an incredibly amount of prana. _Pure_ prana. "I have not been this angry ever since I had to travel to the underworld... I might just destroy this entire citadel to teach you a lesson."

Gilgamesh growled and opened the gate of babylon behind him. "Just try it, wrench. Goddess you may be, I will spread your existence so thin that you will never be able to reform!"

"Just try it, goldie!"

Just before the two of them could trade blows, however, the doors to the room were kicked open with a loud groan as Shirou emerged with a serious look, followed by Enkidu who looked more concerned. Shirou held his golden blades in preparation, though it was obvious that he still hadn't fully recovered from his wounds.

Ishtar's expression quickly switched from rage, to a sudden sense of hesitation as she laid eyes on the two. Enkidu especially. Not even the Golden King possessed much of a threat to her compared to that green haired individual.

"Gilgamesh... What is going on?" Shirou asked warily, though the golden king was sure that his brother had already come to a conclusion already.

He decided to enlighten him anyway.

"The wench Ishtar has asked for my hand in marriage. I refused, as I would not lay with a witch like her." Gilgamesh declared, earning a brief twitch of anger from Ishtar before her face morphed into a smile.

"Oh, dear. That is an unflattering declaration. I am a goddess, not a witch. Anyone who has half a brain would accept my love in a heartbeat. Isn't that right, dear Shirou?" She winked at him, this time causing a flash of anger to come across Gil's face.

"Come now, do persuade your dear brother for me. He has been quite... Disrespectful to my authority." Ishtar purred, causing Shirou to frown as he stared at the goddess. At his side, Enkidu passed him a worried look. Both Gilgamesh and her possessed the strength of will and divinity to resist the goddesses' charming words. Shirou, however, didn't have the same level of divinity as them. There was a chance that his mind was slowly being affected.

"Shirou..." Enkidu muttered with slight worry as she watched to see what he would do. Even Gilgamesh looked slightly concerned as they waited to see what he would do.

"I refuse."

Ishtar blinked, her smile dropping. "Excuse me?"

Shirou shrugged. "I refuse. Arrogant he may be, Gilgamesh does have a point. Being married to you would only lead to misfortune for everyone. We all know what you did to your past lovers, Ishtar. None of them had a particularly happy ending."

The look on Ishtar's face was a cross between anger, shock, and outright confusion. How could this demigod king and his brother refuse her like this?! This had never happened before!

Gilgamesh smirked in triumph. "This matter is settled, goddess. I will not bend to your will. Enkidu! Restrain her!"

Enkidu quickly raised her hand and three sets of golden chains shot out of her sleeve, moving like wild snakes towards Ishtar. They were chains meant to snare divine beings, and would bind the captor more tightly depending on the amount of divinity they had. Unfortunately, Ishtar had been too wary of her presence.

Reacting quickly, Ishtar jumped backwards as the chains slammed into the spot she had been a second before. Her face contorted with rage as she began glowing, floating away from them. It seems like even SHE knew that dealing with Enkidu was more trouble than it was worth.

"This is not over, Gilgamesh! I cannot forgive this transgression! None of you will escape my oncoming wrath! I will make you all suffer for rejecting my wonderful love!" The goddess declared as she exploded in a ball of light, teleporting away before the Chains of Heaven could snag her.

Enkidu bit her lips in annoyance as the chains faded away. There was only a lingering presence of the goddess, but it infuriated her to no end. Out of all of the divine beings, Ishtar was the one Enkidu disliked the most. That was saying something.

Shirou stepped forward and frowned as he eyed Gilgamesh sitting back down on his throne.

"Her words mean nothing but trouble, Gilgamesh. I have no doubt that she will make due on her promise." Shirou warned gravely, earning a laugh from Gilgamesh.

"Ha! Then let her try. Whatever she sends our way, we'll deal with it. Right, Enkidu?"

Enkidu laughed, though she sounded less sure of herself than Gil. "Right... We will, Gilgamesh."

Shirou shared a look with her, and the both of them agreed that this wouldn't be as easy as Gilgamesh made it out to be. Like it or not, Ishtar was one of the most powerful divine spirits. Even if she was a spoiled brat, she had enough power to make everyone take her seriously.

Whatever form of punishment came in the future... It wouldn't be as easy as Gilgamesh thought.


	7. Prologue (6 Babylonia)

Ishtar stomped through the great palace of the gods, ignoring the horrified looks the elemental servants sent her way as she stormed past. None had bothered to approach her, for they feared being blasted to dust by her overwhelming presence.

Each of these elementals were minor beings that were distant relatives of the gods. However, they were quite a few steps below them when it came to power. As such, they're often kept as servants and handmaidens for the more powerful beings.

Like her father, who held the most amount of servants at his disposal.

She approached the doors to the throne room and violently kicked them open, nearly tearing them off of their hinges completely. Even so, it was of trivial concern thanks to the heavenly enchantments that quickly began to repair the damage.

The inside of the room could only be described as beautiful. Even more lavishly built than Gilgamesh's own palace, which was constructed long ago by some of the greatest architects humanity had to offer.

This place, however, was built by the gods. It was only natural that the quality would be on an entirely different level than that of humanity. And not only that... But this room was where their power was most concentrated at.

The entire place was built out of gold, emeralds, and every precious stone known or unknown to man. At its center were several large thrones which were organized into the shape of a circle. Each of them had a unique design, reflecting the image of the divine spirit who sat on it.

It was their throne room. A place that hummed with power, the likes of which would vaporize a human within seconds of contact. It had been quite a long time since any of them had convened together here, but everyone else were too busy with their own respective duties to bothering attending a family gathering.

With the growth of the human race and after an event that had weakened their divine power considerably, they were all on the verge of completely being forgotten and abandoned by the world. As such, the other gods feared taking breaks from their respective duties. If they were to slack off too much or be neglectful, it could make them cross a point they wouldn't be able to return from.

She had not bothered with such a thought since her range of responsibilities, while numerous, were incredibly easy to perform. As a goddess of love and war, she was given the most freedom amongst the other divine spirits. All she had to do was preside over the battlefield and be present for very special weddings. Other than that, she was allowed to do whatever she pleased.

All of the thrones were empty as usual, but that was fine. As far as she was certain, there was only one individual who would no doubt be present here. The one who would no doubt listen to her plea.

"Father!" She called out into the empty room with a pleading voice. "I must speak with you!"

A second after those words flew from her mouth, the entire room shook like a temple gate was slowly being opened. In the center of the circle of thrones, a golden portal opened up from the floor like that of Gilgamesh's gate. From it, a golden throne that was grander than the others began to rise up with a single individual sitting atop it.

An otherworldly man sat at the seat, wearing nothing but a lavish golden kilt of sorts that was decorated with the same expensive materials as the thrones of their relatives. His upper body was sculpted beyond perfection and he bore red eyes as a sign of his divinity. His most unusual feature, however, was his skin. Instead of actual skin like humans, his body was more like a holographic image of the sky with miniature clouds around his body. One could tell that he was humanoid, but it was certainly unusual to look at.

He was her father, the greatest of the gods and their king: **Anu**

"Daughter... why is it that you have come?"

His voice rumbled like thunder, though there wasn't any sense of annoyance or anger. She had known him long enough to tell that he was simply being cordial with her like he always was whenever she visited.

"Oh father, I have come because I wish to ask you for something!" She cried out, stomping over to him and throwing herself at his feet. The action no doubted surprised the king of the gods, as he stared down at her with barely contained bewilderment.

"Why is it that you are upset, my daughter?" He asked gently, slowly lowering himself to get a better look at her. "I have not seen you in such a condition since your sister humiliated you so. Have you two been fighting again?"

Ishtar gritted her teeth and wisely tried to ignore that last part. "No, no we have not. I have quarrel with another individual entirely. A king, to be precise. One who has rejected my love and has insulted me far more than my sister ever did."

Anu raised an eyebrow. He knew that Ishtar often liked to blow things out of proportions, but this had caught his interest. He had heard of her bickering with her fellow gods and goddesses, but this was the first time he had ever heard hear complain about a mortal. He knew she had many mortal lovers in the past, but he never recalled her having any problems with them.

"Who is it that you speak of?"

"There is only one obvious answer, father." Ishtar grumbled, snapping her fingers. "The only king in the world who would have the audacity to reject me... It is none other than Gilgamesh himself!"

At this, Anu's face contorted into a look of discomfort. He had personally been part of the plan to design Gilgamesh as the keystone of their two worlds, which made him a second father of sorts. He knew how important their little creation was in keeping them relevant, but he also knew that such a thing meant little to his daughter when she was in this state.

Even so...

"Daughter... Gilgamesh is a special case. We need him-"

Anu's calm tone was cut short when his daughter flared her power, causing a gust of wind to blow through the room. Her divine eyes had a dark hue to them, reflecting on her barely contained anger.

"You say that all the time, but have you ever stopped to consider that this plan of yours was a failure?!" Ishtar screeched, stunning Anu into silence. "All throughout his adulthood, he has done nothing but disrespect us! His original function is gone and he has gone renegade! And when you sent your other little 'toy' to correct him, it strayed away from us as well!"

The floor cracked underneath her feet and the wind began to pick up. Emotion was starting to affect her judgement, but what did she care? That damn goldie... He will pay for what he did to her!

"So if you want my personal opinion, father... I say we just get rid of him. It has been long overdue and the rest of the gods agree that this experiment of ours was a failure. We should just cut our losses and start over from scratch."

"Start over... from scratch?" Anu's voice grew dangerously low, but Ishtar didn't seem to pick up on it. "Then tell me, daughter. How do you wish for us to start over?"

A mischievous grin that would have caused anyones heart to stop stretched across her face.

"Give me access to the Bull of Heaven... and I will turn the entirety of Urk into a barren wasteland. Once I'm done with that, we can start life anew and restart the project. We'll learn from our mistakes and cultivate a new race of humans who will worship us and keep us prevalent in-"

"ENOUGH!"

Anu's power flared as he stood up from the throne with his golden staff in hand. The temperature in the room dropped a couple degrees as the smell of ozone filled the room. Ishtar, temporarily stunned into silence, could only stare with an agape mouth at her father.

"Several generations had been part of this experiment... Several entire generations! The cultivation of almost 500 years had gone into this plan! Don't be a fool, daughter. We will surely be forced to leave this world should we restart now!"

His entire body became black with crackles of lightning showing on his form. It had been almost a millennia since she had seen her father like this... not since the days of the white giant when he had been forced into a deal to ensure that their pantheon remained intact.

"And the Bull of Heaven... have you let your emotions blind you so?! That weapon was made in the event that those 'things' returned! It has a high maintenance cost that even WE can barely keep up with! Yet you want to waste it just so you can settle your petty vendetta?! Grow up!"

"No!"

Ishtar got over her own shock and flared her own power, causing the room to strain as it tried to contain the two superpowers. The servants outside were cowering in fear, having begun to retreat to their own quarters for now.

"It is you who needs to grow up, father! The gods wish for Gilgamesh to go, so I'll simply fulfill their wishes when you won't! That king has been allowed to live for far too long! We do not need him anymore!"

"You only say that because he rejected you! Asking for the Bull of Heaven over something so trivial... No one among the gods would be mad enough to ask for such a thing! I refuse to allow you to have it, daughter! This is where I draw the line!"

Ishtar gritted her teeth and clenched her fists so tight that they began to shake. Rejected by Gilgamesh and denied by her father... She hated it. She was the goddess of war! Her pride would not allow for something like this from anyone! Not even her father...

"Then listen well, _father._ " She hissed as if 'father' was the worst word she could come up with. "If you do not hand over the Bull of Heaven, then I will go down to the underworld and bust down the gates of the dead. I swear this on my name, for the dead will flood back into the world of the living unless I have my retribution!"

Anu's eyes widened and his mouth hung open in surprise. "You wouldn't dare..."

"Try me, father."

The two of them glared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Her pride as a goddess of war would not allow her to admit defeat. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have taken them seriously. But his most warlike daughter was another matter entirely.

She provided him several choices. He could either give her the Bull of Heaven and watch as civilizations crumble away, or he could not and watch her break down the underworld gates to let the dead flood back into the world. Even with Ereshgekial's observation, she wouldn't be able to contain the breach before major damage was done.

The third and final option... would be to beat her here and now.

The last option would be the hardest and most challenging. If he were to fight her and win, the consequences would be long lasting. He doubted she would forget her grudge and leave things be. Her fury wouldn't just tear her apart, but everyone else as well... divine or human.

His shoulders sagged and his power began to dissipate. Giving a sigh of defeat, he sat back down on his throne and gave a dismissive gesture.

"Go... take the bull."

Ishtar smirked and let her own power disappear as well. "I knew you'd see things from my point of view, father."

She turned and strolled out back into the halls with an air of confidence in her step. She got what she needed. Now, it was time to repay Gilgamesh a hundredfold for his actions.

Anu watched her go with a tired look in his eyes. He shook his head at her arrogance and leaned back on his throne.

"You don't understand what you're doing, daughter. This plan of yours is doomed to fail. You threaten humanity, and the circumstances will align to force your defeat. No matter what happens, you will not get the outcome you so desire."

He closed his eyes. "Nothing good will come out of this for anyone... Though perhaps this will teach you a lesson in humility."

* * *

Several weeks had passed since the incident in the throne room, and both Shirou and Enkidu had wisely agreed not to tell any of the servants anything. Neither of them wanted this type of information to leak out into the public. The patron protector of Urk conspiring against them... It would be the cause of a major panic.

Even Gilgamesh had chosen not to mention Ishtar, though it was more likely that he had not considered her important enough to talk about. Though ever since the incident, he also seemed to be a little bit more on guard.

To them, there was no doubt going to be a retaliatory action from Ishtar. She was no doubt a very prideful sort that could give even Gil a run for his money. The chances that she was going to do something drastic were pretty close to 100 percent.

So they all had to be ready for then.

"Hah!"

Shirou moved his body to the side as Enkidu's fist swung through the air. Stepping in, he quickly took advantage of an opening and quickly locked his foot behind hers before pushing, knocking her down to the ground. Before she could recover, he kneeled down on top of her, pinning both of her legs and hands.

He smirked. "You left yourself a little bit too open."

His only response was for Enkidu's own smirk before she twisted the right side of her body up, throwing him off balance and reversing positions with him on the bottom.

"And you're not restraining me properly. Place your hands a little bit higher." She retorted, causing him to sigh with bemusement.

"I doubt shifting my hand will do anything against that monster strength of yours..." Shirou muttered as he tried to move his wrist, causing her to giggle.

"No... But you'll certainly make it harder for me." She leaned forward until their foreheads were almost touching. "For a mere human... you're quite strong. Not Gilgamesh strong... but you're certainly close."

"Well some of us can't be two-thirds divine." Shirou retorted as he leaned his head back. "Or be a superhuman weapon of the gods."

"Mmm... But not everyone could go toe to toe with a demon like you did."

"I guess so..."

Shirou glanced at his pinned wrists and sighed. "So can you stop putting pressure on my wrists? I think you're starting to chafe-"

His words suddenly died in his throat as Enkidu slowly released her grip on him before rolling to the side, getting a little bit too close for comfort as she pressed herself up against him.

"E-enkidu-"

"Enjoying nature is more fun with a friend... Or at least that's what Gil said." Enkidu stated with a cute look as she laid her head on his chest, right over where his heart was. There was no doubt in his mind that she could hear how fast his organ was beating.

He closed his eyes and tried to slow his heartbeat back down to normal levels. He didn't want her getting any weird ideas...

"Right... right."

The two of them simply laid together in the palace gardens, enjoying the calm beauty of nature. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the interior of the castle and the city, this was one of the only areas where one could enjoy some peace and quiet. It had also been built just recently, having been put together ever since Enkidu began to live with them. As a gift for his first friend, Gil had acquired numerous flora and other wildlife to live in the gardens. How he had the time to find all of this, Shirou didn't know. Whatever the case, it seemed to make Enkidu happy.

He suddenly blinked when he noticed a small flock of brown birds that had landed nearby began to approach them. They each let out a chorus of cheeps as they hopped, causing Enkidu to giggle as they began to clamber on top of her and begin pecking at all of the sawdust that she had accumulated in her hair.

"Ah... more of these little ones. How are you?" Enkidu cooed as she lifted a dainty finger and began to stroke the top of one of the bird's head, earning an affectionate chirp in response.

Shirou smiled. "There's more than usual this time. They really like you." As he lifted a finger in an attempt to touch one, the target hopped just out of reach. He sighed. "Me, not so much."

"You smell like sweat and soot from working in the forges. Perhaps you should have taken a bath before joining me out here." Enkidu chided as she gently held out a piece of sawdust for a young bird. "Though you are right about the amount this time... I count at least twenty more than last time."

"Migrating season?"

"That ended a month ago. They could just be a part of some few late stragglers..."

Enkidu looked up and frowned when she eyed a pair of bigger birds that were flying overhead. They were each larger than any ordinary bird and their feathers were all ruffled and messy. In each of their talons, they clutched what looked to be small animals that had been unfortunate enough to be the prime target of their hunger.

"Vultures?" Shirou questioned as he followed her gaze.

"Yes... how odd. I've never seen them fly over the city before." Enkidu muttered as she stood up, causing the little birds to fly away.

Shirou wasn't really much of an expert on wildlife, but even he knew the basics. From what he could recall, these types of birds loved to feast on the corpses of other dead animals. As such, they were mostly found out in the countryside around nearby ranches to pick off any stray cattle.

They're hunters of sort, but they preferred to feed off of the scraps. A sort of laziness, he supposed. As such, there should be no reason for them to be around here. The citizens were quite good at cleaning up after themselves, so there would no doubt be more potential scraps outside of the city than inside. Plus, the city was always bustling. People were always up doing something no matter what hour it was. They would surely deter any vulture from trying to swoop in and find any food.

A decrease in food source would be a very unlikely reason. Wild animals died everyday, so there would be no shortage of food for these birds. It was very likely that the cause was something else entirely.

"The birds..." Enkidu muttered, staring up at them as they flew around them. "The birds are speaking to me."

Shirou stood up with a concerned look. Enkidu could understand the animal language, a different verbal system that allowed her to communicate with animals. He had tried to replicate the language, but it was a wasted effort on his part.

"What are they saying?" Shirou asked as he walked towards her.

He suddenly froze as she turned her gaze on him. Her eyes, normally a light shade of green, was glowing vibrant. A physical sign that she was getting slightly agitated.

"Something... Something is coming. From the east. A walking storm they said... It's heading straight for the city."

* * *

"Fwahaha! Yes! You really are a good little weapon, aren't you?"

Ishtar cackled with glee as she hovered in front of a walking thundercloud. Or at least, that's the form most humans could comprehend without having their minds crumple in on themselves.

If one dared to look close enough, they could make out the vague shape of what appeared to be a golden bull. Electric blue eyes stared out of the storm, and lapis horns the size of a mountain poked out of the top. Golden hooves poked out of the bottom, causing the earth to shake whenever it stepped. Nearby, a lake boiled and hissed as it reacted to the bull's power.

Gugallana roared as he shot out a laser of thick magical energy from its horns, cleaving through the tops of several mountains in a nearby mountain range.

"Ooh! Nice shot, Gugallana!" Ishtar cheered as she continued to lead on the beast in the direction of Gilgamesh's precious city. "With your power, we'll no doubt punish that goldie and his little ants!"

Gugallana snorted thunder, seemingly pleased with such a thing. Like any other beast, it needed food to survive. While humans were quite a bit smaller than it, they were quite tasty in hordes and often kept other animals with them. Perhaps if he was lucky, he could snack on some extra cattle.

In truth, this had been only one out of a handful of times where he had been given the chance to walk along Gaia once more. Ever since he had grown to the size that he had, the gods kept him stored in an alternate dimension of sorts. His power had become too bloated, too strong, for him to safely wander the earth. His mere presence stirred up many natural phenomenon. He _is_ a natural phenomenon.

He had been created with the sole intention of being a weapon. A weapon for a great threat. His owners never saw it fit to release him, so he would take any opportunity to walk on the earth again.

This little girl... He vaguely remembered her. The spoiled brat of the king of the gods... Well, there were worst people who could be pulling his leash. Way he saw it... this was a chance for freedom.

So for that reason... he would put up with her, arrogant she may be.

* * *

"A storm? From the East?" Gilgamesh muttered as he stared down at Shirou and Enkidu from his throne.

"Yes, a storm. A particularly large one. Big enough to scare off a bunch of predators. Even some divine beasts have gone into hiding." Enkidu confirmed with a grave tone. "And that's not all. They also reported seeing a glowing woman of sorts at the head of the storm... almost like she was guiding it."

Gilgamesh's grip on his armrest tightened and a scowl appeared on his face. "Ishtar..."

"It would seem so." Shirou grumbled as he pulled out a small stone tablet and tapped it, causing the writing to light up and a series of images to appear. "I asked the priests to send out some familiars so we could get a better understanding on what we're facing... and you might want to take a look at this."

The tablet projected the images into the air for Enkidu and Gilgamesh to see. They each showed different points of a massive desert storm, taken from multiple positions.

"Looks like the storm isn't anything to laugh about. It's quite large. Swallowed a couple mountains whole a while back." Shirou reported as he zoomed in the image. "Though I believe calling it a storm isn't quite true."

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes as he tried to discern a dark shape that was moving within the storm.

"What is that?" He muttered. "A bull?"

Enkidu gasped as he said that, earning looks of alarm from the two brothers.

"Enkidu? You alright?" Shirou asked with a worried look.

"It's him..." Enkidu muttered, her skin looking a little bit paler than usual. "It's the divine beast of the gods."

Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. "THAT'S a divine beast?"

Enkidu shook her head. "Not just any divine beast. It's the greatest of all divine beasts." She bit her lips. "It's the Bull of Heaven, Gugallana."

At this, Shirou felt himself turning just as pale as Enkidu. Gilgamesh, however, looked more annoyed and angry than actually horrified at this notion. He stood up and slammed his hand on the armrest.

"That damned goddess!" He roared as he began pacing back and forth. "To think that she would summon something like that... Not even I foresaw something like this!"

"Nothing could have possibly predicted what she would have done." Shirou muttered, staring at the beast through the familiar's eyes. "Mother only talked about the thing briefly, but I had thought that it was locked away in another dimension?"

"It should be. Apparently Ishtar managed to release it somehow." Enkidu muttered. "There's no reasoning with that thing. I'm not sure if it has any semblance of an intellect. Even the gods couldn't completely control the thing, so I believe Ishtar is only guiding it on its path of destruction."

"The goddess wasn't kidding when she said she was going to make us pay..." Shirou grumbled as he scrolled through the tablet. "These energy readings are no joke. I'm not even sure if we can classify that thing as a beast. It's more like a walking mass of pure energy... Even Ishtar seems a little bit tiny in comparison." He glanced at Gil. "I fear you cannot afford to take this lightly, Gil. You need to bring out that sword of yours right off the bat."

"I already intended to do so, brother." Gilgamesh growled in agreement. "I will put that beast in its place. I shall not allow it to roam around my kingdom as it pleases! Enkidu, my friend, will you support me?"

Enkidu nodded. "I will. You'll need my chains to bind the beast, though I fear it'll only give you small windows to strike. The monster is huge and it'll probably snap my chains before I can even get a tight bind on it."

"It's better than nothing." Shirou said before frowning. "Though I fear you two will have to worry about another problem. Namely that goddess."

Everyone in the room visibly scowled as the image zoomed in on the floating goddess, happily smiling despite the large amount of destruction that was occurring around her. It was quite unnerving, both the only thing anyone could feel was annoyance at that visage. It was quite a punchable look.

"Much as I want to think that the two of you could take them on, I know you'll both be overwhelmed by the two of them." Shirou stated with a grim look. "Gugallana is the real threat here... So Ishtar will need to be taken out of the equation for both of you to fight at full power."

Gilgamesh and Enkidu gave him alarmed looks as they realized what he was saying.

"Shirou... Ishtar isn't like Pazuzu. She's in another league entirely." Enkidu protested with a worried look. "Whatever plan you had against Pazuzu won't work on her."

"I had no plan with Pazuzu. I was winging it the entire time." Shirou rebuffed with a roll of his eyes. "Now though, I have a plan. She's stronger than Pazuzu, sure, but I'm prepared this time. I'll win."

"Shirou, Ishtar is a goddess of war. WAR. She'll crush you flat with her authority the second you try to challenge her!"

"Ishtar may be a goddess of war, but that won't matter. This won't be a battle of magical energy, but a battle of fists."

Enkidu's face went aghast. "Y-you don't mean that..." She shook her head. "That's insane... You think she'll actually be baited into a wrestling match?"

"Everyone has their price. That goddess is no different." Shirou shrugged. "Besides, she's the prideful sort. She won't turn down my challenge. She wants to get me back and this will be a great way for her to do so."

Enkidu turned towards Gilgamesh with a sort of pleading look. What Shirou was proposing was a wrestling match between him and the goddess. Sumerian wrestling was an incredibly rough martial arts, with no rules other than banning weapons. That meant crotch kicks, eye-gouging, and other incredibly painful means of hurting your opponent was allowed.

In many cases, the looser would often end up with many broken bones. There also wasn't any shortage of deaths as the lack of rules fail to make sure that the combatants keep themselves in check.

Issuing a challenge was a strength of masculinity and strength. To turn down a challenge would be a big blow to your integrity and image, which often made you social outcasts. Loosing was ok, but turning down a challenge was another matter all together unless you had a very good reason to do so.

However, wrestling matches were usually between people and other people... with the occasional beast thrown in. Never in the history of Uruk had anyone ever attempted to challenge a god, much less the patron of war, to a one-on-one death match.

Enkidu turned towards Gilgamesh with a pleading look. "Gilgamesh, tell your brother this is a bad idea. He won't last more than 5 minutes with her in the ring!"

Gilgamesh remained silent with a blank look on his face before he turned to face Shirou. Enkidu's spirits lifted when she saw this. Surely Gilgamesh would tell his brother that he was being foolish and that he was better off pelting the goddess with arrows instead of trying to get personal.

Though much to her disappointment, he said the complete opposite.

"Just do what you have to do, brother. If your plan fails, however, we'll be too busy to save you." Gilgamesh warned.

"I am absolutely touched by your concern, dear brother." Shirou replied sarcastically before turning to Enkidu, who still looked visibly upset by this entire exchange. "And Enkidu... I know you don't exactly agree with this, but you're going to have to trust me on this one. I'll need your help if I want this to work."

Enkidu looked like she wanted to protest, but she suddenly halted when she stared into Shirou's eyes. They weren't playful and didn't hold the tiny glint of youth he always carried around. They were focused and sharpened like a fine blade, sending a chill down her spine.

He was serious... completely serious about going through with this plan. He was either suicidal, idiotic, or pretty damn confident in himself. She was fighting a loosing battle. Nothing she said could change his mind.

She exhaled and closed her eyes in defeat.

"Fine... Tell me what to do."


	8. Prologue (7 Babylonia EnD)

"Impudent fools... So they finally decided to show up."

Ishtar hovered in front of Gugallana as she glared down at the two individuals at the top of a nearby plateau. Gilgamesh and Enkidu were out in their full glory, with Gilgamesh wearing his golden armor and tendrils of energy flickering around Enkidu. Their expressions were serious and stern without an ounce of fear in either of them.

In Gilgamesh's right hand, the heavenly sword that split the world laid dormant. She had heard of that weapon from her father, who had claimed that it was one of the oldest weapons on earth. It was an authority in physical form, like that mirror in the east, used by those with incredible power. In Gilgamesh's case, it was an authority of 'Nation Building' that created the planet.

Her hands clenched in anger. He had no right to wield that weapon. A weapon that belonged to the gods should be wielded by no one else other than them. That hag Ninsun was always a lowly goddess in her eyes, but it seems that she was capable of sinking even lower than she already was.

"Have you come to beg for forgiveness? If so, you will find none from me." Ishtar hissed as several floating rubies appeared around her, supercharged with magical energy to the point of bursting. "Though I will kill you two, if the both of you were to perhaps beg like ants and grovel in the dirt, I may be generous enough to spare Uruk after razing a couple buildings."

"Foolish goddess, we have no intentions of submitting to you. Uruk will not fall today, but the same can't be said for you and your little pet." Gilgamesh snarled in Gugallana's direction, who had paused in his tracks and stood silently behind Ishtar.

Ishtar's face twisted into a smug smirk. "Bold words. Unfortunately, Gugallana will stomp the two of you flat. He was made to take on threats far bigger than you puny mortals. Your little treasury won't even be able to pierce his skin." She glanced over at Enkidu. "And I wouldn't suggest trying to bind him with your chains, dear. He'll snap you in half the second you try."

"I don't need your help to see the obvious." Enkidu retorted as tendrils of jagged earth formed around her. "You're a nuisance... Please leave so we can deal with Gugallana."

As the earth blades surged towards Ishtar, the goddess casually flicked her wrist and launched her gems in response. As the precious stones made contact with the blades, they each discharged in an explosion of prana that easily lit up the night sky.

Ishtar cocked her head. "...Weak. Too weak. But if you so wish, I will be out of your way shortly. First though, I want to know where your dear brother is, Gilgamesh. Was he too cowardly to come face me alongside you?"

"A wrong guess, goddess."

Ishtar blinked before turning her head to follow the voice. A fair distance away, Shirou stood with his arms crossed a top another nearby plateau. Unlike his brother, he severely lacked any heavy armor. He was completely topless, with his only pieces of clothing being his black pants and gauntlets. He didn't have his signature golden blades with him, which honestly made him seem a little bit ordinary at first glance.

"Hoh, You have the gall to stand before me despite being human? You are either very foolish or very brave to do so." She smirked. "Even so, it doesn't matter. You're simply human. A human with a very small portion of divinity. Do you intend to strike at Gugallana like an annoying ant from a safe distance?"

"I do not intend to fight Gugallana." Shirou raised his arm and pointed at Ishtar with a stoic expression. "I'll be facing you. One-on-one. No weapons allowed."

Silence reigned across the field as Ishtar's face morphed from a confident look to that of surprise and shock. Clearly, she had not been expecting such a confident challenge from a mere mortal.

Then, just as quickly as it had come, the silence was blown away by Ishtar's incredulous laughter.

"Ohohoho! A wrestling match? Now I've seen it all! You puny mortal, do you realize what you are asking of me?" She covered her mouth with her hand in a mocking expression. "To wrestle with the goddess of war... Don't make me laugh. I would never lower myself to wrestle with the likes of you."

"Scared much?" Shirou taunted, earning a sharp glare from the goddess.

"Scared? Hardly. It's a matter of principle. I love you humans, I really do. It doesn't change the fact that you are lower beings than me, though. You bend to my will. I don't bend to yours." Ishtar declared with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Perhaps if I was given a tribute, I would consider. Though it has been a long time since I've gotten a worthy tribute. My daily sacrifices were barely even passable."

Off to the side, Gilgamesh looked like he wanted to start throwing swords everywhere. He probably would have done so if Enkidu hadn't been there to restrain him, though she didn't look like she was faring any better.

Luckily, he had expected something like this. Reading this goddess was as easy as reading a stone tablet.

"If it is a tribute you want, then it's a tribute you shall get." Shirou held out his hand and a golden portal opened above it. Curiously, Ishtar watched intently as Shirou rummaged around the treasury for a moment before pulling out a small stone: a diamond.

He held it up, watching as Ishtar's eyes slowly followed it intently.

"As you no doubt know, Uruk's treasury is overflowing with all kinds of trinkets. Thousands upon thousands of priceless treasure that have been stored away carefully and kept in pristine condition." Shirou had to hold back a smirk as he saw the look of greed that was slowly forming on Ishtar's face. "And all of it can be yours... If you can beat me."

Ishtar's hand twitched. "Beat you... That's all I have to do?"

"All. You. Have. To. Do." Shirou spoke slowly, temptation dripping in his voice.

Ishtar's fist clenched and a wicked smile appeared on her face. Her pupils dilated and a howl of laughter erupted from her throat. Gilgamesh and Enkidu scowled while Gugallana snorted behind her, obviously annoyed that she would take the bait.

"Fine! Your challenge is fit for a fool, but I suppose I cannot turn you down when such a prize is up for grabs." She slowly floated down towards him, causing the earth to tremble upon her approach. "I'll play with you for now. You can watch Gugallana deal with goldie and the mud doll down from Irkalla after I'm through with you!"

Ishtar turned towards Gugallana and swept her hand towards Gilgamesh and Enkidu. "Gugallana! Feel free to rampage as you please. Just don't get in the way of our little match here, understood?!"

Gugallana roared, causing a crumbling mountain to collapse on itself from the incredible sound. It pawed the ground, causing the world to rumble as electricity cackled around them. The storm winds picked up speed, building up pace as Gugallana became agitated.

Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and Shirou all locked eyes. In that instant, a silent agreement passed between all of them. This was it. The greatest battle between humans and the divine was about to commence. They could not let it cross any farther than it is now or else Uruk will be in range of the fighting. If Ishtar won, the end of humanity and the future of the world would be in peril.

So... Failure was not an option.

Ishtar clapped her hands and smirked. "This is the end for all of you! My vengeance will consume everything that you love! You lowly humans cannot match the strength of the gods!"

"You'll find that us humans aren't easy to get rid of." Shirou retorted as he took up a stance.

"Your foolish meddling is no longer needed, goddess. A troublesome woman like you... The world would be better off without you!" Gilgamesh roared as Ea began to rotate in his hand.

"To drag the world to the brink of ruin... Such a crime cannot go unpunished, goddess or not!" Enkidu nodded in agreement as golden chains sprouted from her arms.

With a resounding roar, Gugallana's patience finally thinned out. It charged forward, preparing to meet its fellow divine brothers for a glorious showdown that would shake the earth. Gilgamesh and Enkidu both charged to meet it, divine energy swirling around them as they prepared to go all out.

Shirou calmly kept his guard up while Ishtar smirked. She didn't even bother with a starting position. Her arrogance has convinced her that her victory was assured.

"Lets get started, shall we?"

And before Shirou could even blink, the earth exploded around him.

* * *

Gugallana certainly was no joke. Even for a beast of the gods, he was incredibly strong.

As soon as Ishtar ran off to do battle with Shirou, Gugallana had sprung into action. With incredible speed that shouldn't have been expected from an animal of that size, he lowered his head and charged forward.

"Enkidu!"

"Right!"

With a snap of his fingers, a large golden portal appeared behind Gilgamesh. Instead of pulling out a sword or a shield, the tip of a vehicle appeared instead. It was clearly aerial in nature, as it soon revealed itself to be a golden ark adorned with a pair of green wings that glowed with a mysterious aura. It was a creation of his brother, becoming the only vehicle in all of Uruk to achieve the revolutionary concept of flight.

In another time and in another war it would become known as the Vimana, an aerial weapon used by the gods of a certain religion in South Asia. It held countless forms of ranged weaponry, meant to be used in combat against armies.

It hissed as Gilgamesh and Enkidu quickly jumped on, spreading its wings as mercury fuel began to power it up.

"Hold on, my friend!" Gilgamesh called out as he quickly booted up the entire system.

For any normal aircraft, attempting liftoff while a being the size of a skyscraper was baring down on you would be completely impossible. It would simply take too much time to have a running start and they didn't necessarily have the runway needed to do so.

But this was a legendary aircraft... A highly advanced piece of technology that would make Area 51 pale in comparison.

Completely ignoring the laws of physics, Vimana quickly went from a sitting position to the stratosphere in under a second as Gugallana stormed by like a lightning bolt.

The beast skidded to a stop and snorted as he tried to face his targets again. Luckily, he didn't have the amazing speed when it came to turning around.

Enkidu held out her hand and the earth around Gugallana's feet began to rumble as numerous blades of rock began to shoot up towards him, though it seemed to do nothing more than to slightly irritate the beast as they bounced of his golden armor.

Gilgamesh tilted his head before activating one of the ship's offensive options, causing the bottom of the vehicle to open and reveal a golden turrent. The gun swung around and began shooting bolts of light at Gugallana at the rate of a high-powered minigun which would shred even the strongest of structures. But unfortunately, they had just as much of an effect as Enkidu's earth blades.

"Tsk... it seems like we won't be able to put that beast down like that." Gilgamesh muttered as he held Ea tightly in his hand. "It is adorned with such a wonderful armor... Only our strongest attacks will be able to put a dent in that thing."

Gugallana roared and several blue balls of electricity appeared in the air around him before blasting towards the ship.

Gilgamesh quickly activated the ship's defense system in response, causing several golden discs to appear around them and form a protective barrier of sorts. As the projectiles came close, the golden discs shot out their own electricity and blasted them all away.

"My normal chains won't be able to slow it down. Its level of power exceed my regular chain's ability to restrain it." Enkidu informed as she stood up and looked at Gugallana grimly. "I'm heading down. I'm more comfortable fighting on the ground."

Gilgamesh smirked. "Then I shall stay here and support you from the skies. Do take care not to get trampled like a bug."

"Ah... I believe I shall be fine. So long as we fight together we cannot loose."

* * *

It was only thanks to his instinct that he had managed to avoid the first strike that would have taken his head clean off his shoulders.

He craned his neck back as Ishtar's arm swung through the air, whipping up an air canon that blast apart several nearby boulders that were unfortunate enough to be in the way.

Ishtar's face furrowed in blatant surprise before turning serious as Shirou quickly sent a return strike from his right hand, throwing a deadly hook. She raised her arms and blocked the strike, forcing her to slide back a couple feet.

She raised an eyebrow as she lowered her arms, eyeing her opponent as he repositioned himself. His face was calm and composed as usual, though he was certainly more tense. A bead of sweat rolled down his face, but he still gazed unflinchingly at her... like his near brush with death didn't scare him at all.

How curious. Perhaps he was just as strong as his brother after all. Even so... Now wasn't the time to dwell on such a thing. All she had to do was get one lucky hit in and all of the earth's riches will be hers!

With newfound determination, she launched herself forward and continued her assault. Her strikes were like lightning, striking with incredible power that decimated the land around them.

Shirou quickly ducked and weaved, his trained muscles straining to keep up with the goddess. His eyes were trained to react to Enkidu's own attacks, but Ishtar's strike speeds were several steps higher. Not to mention that she was going straight for the kill.

He knew the risk he was taking, baiting her into a fight like this. One strike from her could very literally do him in. Despite her thin frame, the simple fact that she was a pure goddess gave her strength far superior to Gilgamesh and Enkidu. However, this was the best way to assure their victory. So long as he could keep Ishtar occupied until Gilgamesh and Enkidu won their battle, he could have a chance at surviving.

What he was doing was effectively stalling. A very cheap way to fight. His fighting style was something that prioritized defense and instinct to keep his damage to a minimum. Even if he could barely see Ishtar's strikes, his highly trained instinct allowed him to quickly deduce and take the best course of action to avoid another possible strike.

A technique that wouldn't allow him to win, but wouldn't allow him to loose either... Such a thing was cowardly at best.

He dodged another heavy strike and took advantage of the opening, launching a quick jab of his own. It caught Ishtar in the side and sent her flying into a nearby boulder, crushing it easily.

"Bah!" She roared, quickly righting herself. He had struck her with enough force to punch straight through steel, yet her body didn't even show signs of bruising. Such a cheap skill, being a goddess.

"That one stung a little bit!" She hissed, nothing but malicious intent hanging from her words. "Though I cannot help but see how cowardly you are. I have already thrown more than a hundred strikes, yet you have only lashed back at least twenty times." She glanced at Gilgamesh and Enkidu in the distance, who were keeping Gugallana busy. "Are you perhaps stalling for time? Useless. Gugallana is a literal force of nature. Even if your brother and that pathetic excuse for a weapon actually managed to kill him, do you think they will be in any shape to fight me?"

He didn't respond. A million different outcomes and strategies were running through his head. He didn't need to waste his energy responding to her taunts.

She rolled her eyes. "The silent treatment. You impudent mortal... You will respond when your goddess asks you a question!"

Shirou prepared himself as she charged forward with renewed strength, aiming to rip him to pieces and claim her prize.

* * *

Gilgamesh roared as he swung Ea, blasting Gugallana with another typhoon of Genesis. While his sword was known as the weapon that cleaved both the heavens and earth, Gugallana only stumbled slightly under its onslaught. With a roar, it discharged several bolts of lightning that dispersed the blast and diverted several parts of it into a nearby mountain range, blasting the caps off of them.

Without pause, he opened the gate and forced out several swords to strike at the unprotected chinks in Gugallana's armor. The monster snorted out a literal tornado from its nostrils, blowing several of his swords away. A couple managed to get through, however, and stick themselves in the skin of the monster. Yellow blood flew from its wounds, but the bull didn't pay it any mind.

It whined and stomped around on the earth, trying to strike at Enkidu who was weaving around beneath it and forcing blades of earth to strike at its heels. With Enkidu's control over the earth she turned the entire battlefield into a muddy marsh, trying to prevent more movement from the beast.

Enkidu jumped as Gugallana's feet caused the mud to rise up in a wave. She easily clambered up to the nearest cliff overlooking the battlefield, Gilgamesh landing beside her.

His golden hair was covered with mud and earth that had kicked up from the battle. His pristine golden armor, an incredible product of Shirou's engineering, was crumpled in several spots and covered in soot. No longer was the bright gold shining brilliantly around him, having lost its shine under the harsh conditions.

She wasn't fairing any better. He green hair had completely darkened and several spots on her cloak were in tatters. Not to mention that she was completely covered in mud, though she wasn't one to complain about such a thing. After all, she was pretty much a walking mud statue.

"Any ideas?" She grumbled as she tried to harden the mud around Gugallana's feet.

"This foolish beast is more tenacious than I thought. To shrug off being hit by the 'truth'... It is indeed a powerful weapon of the gods." Gilgamesh muttered, watching the beast roar and struggle around in the mud. It unleashed another flurry of electric beams, shooting them blindly. Gilgames and Enkidu didn't move, even as one of the shots soared dangerously close to their position.

The golden armor the bull wore was incredibly tough. Not even the bombs Gilgamesh dropped on it from the gate had any lasting effect. It simply continued to get back up. In all honesty, it couldn't really be called an actual phantasmal creature. It's more like a weapon of mass-destruction, a being to surpass both god and man.

"...I guess there is no helping it." Enkidu sighed. "My complete use as a chain of heaven... I suppose I'll have to release it in order to win."

"I'll create an opening. You must bind it before it can recover." Gilgamesh simply said, spreading his arms out and opening his gate once again. This time, the amount of portals that formed were numerous enough to nearly cover the sky. From it, a literal river of blades stormed out and slammed into Gugallana. The bull roared and immediately retaliated with more lightning strikes.

As the two forces struggled to overpower each other, Enkidu quickly leapt into the air and closed her eyes as she felt the power she was born with entered into her. Originally, her form was meant to protect the gods from disappearing from the world by binding humans. But now that she has walked amongst them, she had established new orders for herself and created her own directives.

"This evocation is the breath of the planet... though I have decided I will walk together with humanity." She declared as the power surged to abnormal heights. "O' humanity, I ask for your assistance. Together, let us bind this beast of the gods!"

Gugallana roared and began firing several more blasts towards her, having understood what she was trying to do. She dipped down and surged towards him, dodging the lasers as golden particles began to envelop her. The light elongated and spun together to make a spinning chain of sorts, a longer and more powerful version of her own chains that were created to bind divine beings.

"Enuma Elish!" She roared as she swiftly began to maneuver herself around Gugallana, ignoring its roars of protests. Once the bull had been thoroughly bound, she quickly cancelled her attack and jumped back quickly to avoid a stray hoof as the beast began to struggle wildly.

The counter force... the system that protected the world. Using herself as a lynchpin, she was able to harness the near-infinite power for herself, becoming a force who was able to stand up to any threat under the right circumstances. Even now, however, it would only serve to temporarily restrain this beast.

"Gil! Now!" She yelled as Gilgamesh levitated into the air above the struggling beast, Ea raised high in his hand. It had already begun its activation, whipping up gusts of winds as it began to absorb more and more of its user's power.

"Foolish beast who would dare try and trample my kingdom, it is time that you are put in your place! You will feel the true might of genesis... The Truth before the creation of the world!" Gilgamesh declared as he gripped Ea's handle tightly.

Several lightning blasts were directed towards him. But since they were fired blindly, he didn't even need to move to avoid them.

"Humanity has no need for you! The World has no need for you! I shall reduce you to nothingness, shred you down to the last particle, and cast your essence away into Irkalla! With this strike, I shall separate the Heavens and Earth once more!"

The storm reached its peak, literally causing the surrounding area to begin tearing itself apart. Large chunks of the land were starting to be uprooted, floating upwards like gravity didn't exist.

"Now... Look up and behold your doom, beast! ENUMA ELISH!"

Gugallana roared as the entire area lit up in an explosion.

* * *

"Gah!"

Shirou grunted in pain as Ishtar's fist smashed through his hasty guard, striking him in the right shoulder. He felt himself slide backwards, slamming into a boulder and crushing it into dust from the force.

It hurt. It hurt a lot. His entire body had felt numb throughout their fight, but now his shoulder was searing like a hot rod was pressed up against him. No doubt the blow had cracked it a bit, but it luckily hadn't stopped him from being able to move it.

Ishtar casually strolled over to him with a smirk. Her clothes were torn from several places and she had a couple bruises, but she didn't look any worse for wear.

"You're slowing down. I suppose it's to be expected, being human and all." She taunted, seemingly enjoying the pain he was in. "Still, I suppose I should commend you for managing to strike me... feeble it may be."

She raised her palm. "Well, I suppose I can reward you like this. A quick and painless death seems fitting. I'll simply crush your skull. You'll feel a bit lightheaded, but it'll be over before it becomes unbearable."

"How thoughtful of you..." Shirou rasped as he stood up, rolling his shoulder and flexing his arm with a wince. No good. He was better off using his left hand to fight.

The goddess sighed. "Really, your tenacity is exemplary. A shame you and I could never be a thing. We would have been perfect for each other. Perhaps make some little demi-god children..."

"A thought like that only happens in my nightmares."

Istar's expression visibly soured. "You really want to die, don't you? Very well."

Shirou gritted his teeth as Ishtar began to approach him. Her casual smirk appeared once again on her face, pleased at such a reaction.

"Say hi to my sister while you're down in her bleak little home."

Just as she was about to grab his face, however, the two of them suddenly froze as the distant horizon was lit up in a sea of dark red lights and a wave of power washed over them. It was no doubt Gilgamesh's Enuma Elish, charged up to a level never seen before.

"Ah... Gugallana is in trouble." Ishtar muttered, slowly lowering her arm and turning away to face the storm. "Honestly, it seems father was wrong when he considered that thing an 'ultimate weapon'. It can't even do its job right if it's struggling against two lesser beings."

She squinted at Gilgamesh's form in the distance before smirking as an idea came to her. Her hand drifted away from his face as she turned towards the golden king in the distance, aiming her finger at him.

"Genisis... What an exciting moment. It happened a long time ago, you know. Very few gods were around when it happened." Ishtar commented to Shirou, not bothering to look at him. "A long time ago, the old god Ea took a portion of that particular concept and transferred it to that scepter... Which was passed down by both gods and men." She licked her lips. "That scepter restarts the beginning's destructive construction. Imagine what would happen if I were to make him loose control of it right when it reaches its peak."

She completely turned away from Shirou, engrossed with making sure her shot hit true. It wouldn't be enough to kill Gilgamesh instantly, but it would disrupt his weapon's ritual abruptly. The result would no doubt flatten the land and reduce everything in the area into nothingness, but she found it appealing. The king defeated by a misfire from his own weapon. It was strangely... poetic.

There was nothing to fear from her opponent at this point. His physical strength right now wasn't enough to pose a threat to her, and she still needed someone to unlock that vault to claim her prize. She didn't want to travel all the way back to Irkalla to get Gilgamesh's soul as that'd be quite troublesome.

As far as she was concerned, this battle was in the bag. Nothing could stand in her-

*SHINK*

Ishtar quickly spun around with wide eyes as the familiar sound of a vault opening reached her ears. Shirou, pulling out a golden chain from a newly opened portal, quickly tackled the goddess to the ground and managed to snake the metal around her neck before she could react.

"What?!" Ishtar screeched as she grasped the chain that was already starting to tighten up. "Trickery! Cheating!"

"I had no intention of playing fair, goddess. I simply needed an opening to pull out this particular weapon without getting killed." Shirou responded calmly as he kept his grip on the chain. Ishtar's face suddenly contorted with pain as steam began to leak out of her neck like a boiling sauna.

"Damn it..." She hissed as she felt the chain begin to tighten around her neck. Try as she might, even with her divine strength, she couldn't snap the chain. The best she could do right now was to keep it from strangling her or tearing her head off. "What in Irkalla is this thing?!"

"A special chain, designed to subdue divine beings like yourself." Shirou answered through gritted teeth, desperately trying not to loosen his grip on the chain. "A courtesy gift from Enkidu. I had her prepare this for me before our fight. Against anyone else, it'd just be a strong chain. With you, however, it'll continue to tighten until your head is torn off. I suppose you could break it, but if you loose concentration for a moment it'll tear your head off in a second."

Ishtar howled in frustration as she began to twist and turn, throwing clods of earth everywhere as she tried to shake off the metal. Shirou held on for dear life as his injured body parts were pushed to the limits, causing his entire body to experience a burning sensation.

Even so, he worked through the pain. He couldn't let go of her now. If he did, she would most certainly never be caught again. His only hope right now... was to end the fight with this special chain. If he could only apply a bit more pressure...

...He'd be able to win this.

* * *

"Hm... Truly a mighty beast."

Gilgamesh stared down at the crater below as the dust cloud began to settle. Laying down at the bottom, groaning and growling, was Gugallana himself. His armor was charred and beaten in several spots, with many parts completely missing. The electric storm that had been around him had weakened considerably, no longer releasing such potent electricity.

The bull's size had been drastically reduced, having shrunk down to the size of a regular animal as the last of his energy left him. Without anymore divine energy to sustain him, he could no longer maintain his divine form for very long.

He had not released this much power in quite a long time. Not since he had fought with Enkidu many ages ago was he ever forced to expend such a large amount of his own energy. And even now... It had failed to completely obliterate this beast.

Gugallana was battered, bruised, and leaking fountains of golden blood everywhere. Though, he was very much still alive.

"A wild beast more powerful than Humbaba... Even I wouldn't have been able to survive if I were hit by that." Enkidu muttered as she joined Gilgamesh to look down upon the struggling beast as it tried to right itself.

"It truly is a shame that it has to die. I would not have minded keeping such a magnificent animal." Gilgamesh muttered as he held up Ea again to finish the job with another blast. Before he could do so, however, Enkidu quickly held her hand out to stop him.

"Wait," She began, earning a raised eyebrow from Gilgamesh. "Just... Let me speak to him for a few moments."

Gilgamesh frowned, obviously not amused by such an idea, but he lowered his hand. After all, he had to honor a request from his only friend. Enkidu thanked him with a nod before descending the crater to meet with Gugallana below, Gilgamesh following behind her at a casual pace.

As Enkidu reached the bottom of the crater, where the wounded bull laid, she slowly approached the creature with a calm and serene aura. Gugallana eyed her with electric blue eyes as she approached, but made no attempt to attack her.

"Gugallana..." Enkidu called out in a gentle tone as she made direct eye contact. "You are at our mercy. Do you intend to keep on fighting for that vile goddess?"

Gugallana moaned and grunted, causing the earth to rumble. It pawed at the ground for a minute as it rolled itself back up, presenting itself in a much more dignified fashion. Even as his eyes shone with blue electricity and pride as he eyed them, he still made no move to attack. Clearly, it was more intelligent than an average animal.

The bull released several grumbles and growling from his throat, communicating in a language that even Gilgamesh didn't know... though he wasn't one to associate himself with animals like Enkidu.

Enkidu nodded before turning to Gilgamesh. "Gugallana is near complete exhaustion and the best he can do right now is to summon a little thunder cloud. As it is, he no longer poses a significant threat to us."

Gilgamesh crossed his arms, still not completely convinced.

"He's still a dangerous beast. Should he recover, his mere presence will put my kingdom in jeopardy once again. I will not tolerate that."

Enkidu sighed, having expected this response. What did she even expect?

"Then if you must do so... make it quick. Killing his physical form will send him back to the dimensional prison from which Ishtar plucked him from... and hopefully revert him to a weaker form."

Gilgamesh nodded and approached the silent beast, who watched him come forward without a sound. He seemingly understood Gilgamesh's intentions and slowly dipped his head as an offering.

It didn't complain. Those who were defeated in battle were to give up their heads to the victor. Such is the law of nature.

And besides... he was really tired. He had enough of the outside world for a long time.

Gilgamesh held out his hand and drew out a simple ornate sword with an incredibly sharp edge that could cut through the hardest materials with ease. Poising it above the bull's neck, he prepared to deliver a clean kill.

As he stared deep into the bull's eyes, he smirked.

"Congratulations, beast of the gods. You have provided me with a very special form of entertainment. Be honored for performing such a feat."

Gugallana snorted and Enkidu could have sworn that he had rolled his eyes mere seconds before Gilgamesh brought his blade down and cleaved through the great bull's neck. Even in the end, it truly was a proud and majestic animal.

The bull's now dead body began to glow with an ethereal light as he returned back to the prison from which he came. Hopefully this time, he'd stay there permanently from now on without anyone to bother him.

Enkidu's shoulders sagged as she breathed a sigh of relief. "It's finally over."

"Not quite. We still have to help my brother." Gilgamesh corrected as he sent the sword back to the treasury. "I look forward to bringing retribution to that wretched goddess."

"Right... Right." Enkidu wiped the sweat off her face and glanced up at the sky nervously as she tried to sense their location. "They're to the west of us and Shirou still seems to be alive. If we hurry, we can take Ishtar by sur-"

Enkidu's words died in her throat as a massive golden pillar shot into the sky above them, followed by a howl of wind that made her ears twitch. Even Gilgamesh looked surprised by such a turn of events.

As the pillar faded away the clouds above began to clear and the storms started to give way to sunlight, blanketing the area with newfound warmth instead of the cold winds that Gugallana had stirred up.

"Hmph... It seems he managed to persevere against that foul goddess. As expected of my brother."

Though even these words of praise came from Gilgamesh's lips, he crossed his arms and scowled in annoyance. "But that vile goddess... How dare she perish before she could face me."

He shook his head and turned to Enkidu. "Come. Let us go and retrieve my brother. Afterwards, I will commission us a glorious feast when-"

Gilgamesh had barely finished his sentence when Enkidu rocketed past him and up to the side, rushing towards where the golden light had spawned from. Her expression wasn't one of joy, however, but one of worry and concern.

She casted her senses out and she could indeed sense the presence of only one individual. She should have been happy, for she was already familiar with this presence. It was a clear sign that Shirou had been victorious.

But...

It was faint, and getting fainter with time. That could only mean one thing; a prospect she couldn't accept.

"Shirou..." She muttered as she ran as fast as she could towards his location. "Please... hold on."

* * *

"Damn you... let go!"

Ishtar roared as she twisted and turned, desperate to thrown Shirou off of her and gain the upper hand. Even with her divine strength, it was incredibly difficult for her to shake him. Her hands were too busy trying to keep the chain from choking her, limiting her options to merely flailing about and struggling.

Even so, Shirou found himself struggling to keep up with the strength of the war goddess. Even with the chain designed to capture those with incredible divine levels, Ishtar was still able to surpass the binding capacity of the chain with her bare hands.

The goddess quickly jerked to the side and Shirou found himself nearly thrown off his feet. He quickly righted himself, but gasped as Ishtar began to backpedal into him with her body.

"Guh!"

Shirou grunted in pain as Ishtar rammed him backwards into a nearby boulder, crushing it into rubble. As he reeled from the pain, he felt his grip slip away slightly from the chains.

Ishtar smirked. Taking advantage of the slackened grip, she removed her hands from the chain and violently elbowed Shirou in the chest.

Shirou's mouth opened in a silent yell as an incredible pain shot through his body. It felt like his lungs were filling up with lava, earning hoarse wheezes and strangled coughing from the demigod.

"Now it is time for you to choke on your own steel."

The goddess moved behind him, Enkidu's golden chain now free from her neck and in her hands. She wrapped the weapon around Shirou's neck and smirked when the anti-divine attributes began to resonate with his own divinity, forcing him to his knees.

Shirou's fingers quickly scrambled against the chain, desperately trying to prevent his own weapon from killing him. Unfortunately, it was a loosing battle. His and Ishtar's positions were now switched, though he didn't have the raw strength of the goddess to save himself.

"You're not strong enough... Foolish boy."

She whispered in his ears, taunting him with an assured grin. Of course, Shirou didn't respond. How could he, when it took all of his energy to prevent himself from blacking out from the pain?

Ishtar tightened her grip, slowly but surely beginning to strangle Shirou. He continued to struggle, but it was clear that he was starting to fade away. His hands were slowly dropping to his sides and his eyes were starting to glaze over.

She could have easily snapped his neck, but she wanted him to suffer. That pathetic expression a human made mere seconds before death... it will surely bring her great joy for many years to come as retribution for how he dishonored her.

Though seeing how his eyes were starting to glaze over, he would no doubt die soon. The end was near.

...but it would not end in the way she wanted.

Even with her advantageous position, even with her incredible strength... she was destined to loose this fight. Because like all other divine beings... She had a strong case of hubris.

And Shirou... had none.

In her mind the fight had already been won. Relishing in her self-glory, she didn't realize that Shirou lowering his hands wasn't because he was loosing the will to fight, but instead to grasp her unprotected legs.

With a final burst of strength, Shirou quickly kicked backwards and pulled Ishtar's legs forward much to the surprise of the goddess. As they fell backwards, Shirou pushed back with all of his strength and slammed his back full force against Ishtar.

"Ack!"

Taken completely by surprise, Ishtar's grip slackened against the chain and Shirou quickly forced the weapon off of him. Flipping himself around and pressing his knees against Ishtar's body, he once again wrapped the chain around her neck.

"No!" Ishtar choked out as her eyes bulged with horror when she realized what had happened. Her hands immediately shot upwards to try and claw at the chain, but Shirou quickly moved his knees and pinned them down.

"You're not getting away." Shirou rasped out as he forced the goddess down.

"You damn mortal... LET ME GO!" Ishtar howled as she tried to desperately throw Shirou off of her. Her legs kicked into the air wildly and her hands began to hit the side of his legs. Though due to her weak positioning, her blows were way weaker than they could have been.

Shirou didn't respond, instead continuing to squeeze harder with a determined look in his eyes as he stared down the goddess. Ishtar's face was starting to flush golden as the pressure around her neck increased, but she still focused in on him with eyes of complete hatred.

"Curse you..." She muttered, her eyes starting to glow with a golden light. "Curse you, curse you, CURSE YOU! YOU DAMNED MORTAL! I WON'T STAND FOR THIS! EVEN IF MY SISTER IS THE RULER OF THE UNDERWORLD... I'LL MARCH DOWN THERE AND KILL YOU OVER AND OVER AGAIN! MARK MY WOR-"

*SNAP*

With a quick movement of his hands, Ishtar's neck let out a sickening crack as the golden chains were jerked abruptly. With her mouth frozen in a silent scream, a gold pillar of light shot from her and into the sky as her physical body was left behind.

Shirou was blown backwards and onto his back, the wind knocked completely out of him. As his combat high was beginning to die down with the threat gone, he felt his entire body go weightless. Even as his chest heaved heavily up and down, he was barely conscious of it.

And it was at this moment that he knew... He would not be coming out of this alive.

He didn't have enough energy left to open the gate anymore. It didn't help that his heart was almost completely crushed, and it was only thanks to his partly-divine physiology and his adrenaline that kept him alive. Now that it has worn off, the clutch of death was inevitable.

Spots were beginning to cloud his vision, even as he stared up into the bright skies above. He only had moments at the very most before he passed on into the afterlife.

He should have been upset about that. He should have felt rage at that vile and selfish goddess for doing this to him. But now... all he felt was a sense of weariness. All of his rage was perhaps burned up during their fight.

The essence of his physical body, the soul, was beginning to drift off. Even if it was by some vile goddess or some unfair circumstance, death will always come to reap those whose time is up. That was what it meant to be mortal, and he could not fight it.

"-rou!"

Enkidu.

He could barely hear her voice, but she was no doubt nearby. Even so, he would most certainly depart from this world before she got here.

A rasp sigh escaped his lips as his eyes began to gloss over. How would Gilgamesh react to this? Would he mourn him? Would he laugh it off? Even if he was his brother, Shirou no longer knew anymore.

Enkidu would no doubt mourn. He would do the same for her. That was how close their bond was. They were friends, perhaps even beyond that. He felt nothing but sadness at having to leave her alone.

Oh why is it... why is it that he had to take the fall for the sins of a goddess?

And with this last tired thought, Shirou, brother of the king of heroes, closed his eyes and succumbed to his injuries.

* * *

"You played a bold game, mortal."

Shirou's eyes shot open and he gasped as he sat up from his position. A few feet away from him was a beautiful woman who wore a dark red cowl that covered most of her head and body. Slivers of blonde hair peaked out from under her hood, and her red eyes pierced his very being like lasers.

Her visage was very similar to a certain goddess, and Shirou couldn't help but be taken aback.

The woman sighed. "Be at ease, boy. I am not your enemy. Far from it. I'm just here to... indoctrinate you into this domain of mine."

Shirou stared at the woman for a second before slowly relaxing. How embarrassing. Who else could this woman possibly be?

"Forgive me, lady Ereshkigal. I just didn't expect to personally meet you." Shirou apologized as he bowed in a respectful manner.

Ereshkigal, the goddess of Irkalla and the sister of Ishtar. Out of all the divine beings who existed, she was considered the only one to not have stepped foot into the mortal realm. As a goddess of the underworld, she was forbidden to leave. In exchange, she was considered a powerful force that couldn't be matched in her own domain by anyone, not even other gods.

So if there was anyone you shouldn't piss off, it'd be her.

"Normally, you wouldn't. However, I've seen your actions against my sister and it satisfied me greatly." Ereshkigal smirked as she waved her hand, revealing a pale hand. "To think that a mortal would put her in her place... No doubt such a story will be told for quite some time."

"Yeah, well, it came with great... personal cost." Shirou muttered as he scratched his chest.

No more wounds marred his body and it was completely back to normal. Even so, the phantom pain of the goddess' strike still lingered with him.

"Indeed. Still, you needn't have any worries. Your triumphant efforts and sacrifices will be rewarded handsomely." Ereshkigal declared with a puffed out chest. It was no doubt meant to convey an image of a regal goddess, but it honestly looked a little bit cute.

He needn't say that out loud though.

"I see..." Shirou muttered, careful not to let his previous thought slip. "And about your sister..."

"Don't worry about her. She likes to talk a lot, but even she's not that stupid to try and come down here again. Not after what had happened last time." The goddess of death giggled, obviously recalling a funny moment from her past.

Shirou breathed a sigh of relief. "Well at least that's some good news. I'd rather not meet your sister again."

"Hmph, what kind of goddess would I be if I let the others mess around in my domain? Rest assured, you will be taken care of here." Her expression turned a bit sheepish. "Though... Irkalla is sort of different from the living world and it might take some time to get used to."

Shirou glanced around the area. Yeah, no doubt it would. Not only was this place completely void of sunlight, it held an air of gloominess and depression around the place. The only other company in the area were floating shades and caged spirits, which were also the only source of light in the area.

It was an incredibly huge cavern with huge room for improvement. He had thought the underworld would have held some form of divine radiance to it, but it was most certainly far from grand.

A judging look must have passed from his face because the goddess suddenly blushed.

"I-I know it's not as beautiful of the living world. Believe me, I know. I just don't have the ability t-to replicate those conditions, you know? I only manage the dead. I don't really have the aesthetic ability to change this place." She admitted sheepishly.

 _"S-so cute..."_

Shirou couldn't help but think that when he stared at the goddess. Really. This was like a crime. How could anyone be this cute? Enkidu was cute. Watching Enkidu play with wildlife was cute. But this? This was a whole new level of cuteness.

It really pulled at his heartstrings and caused his brotherly instincts to kick in.

"I'm sure I can fix that."

Ereshkigal stared at him for a moment before brightening up. "Really?"

He nodded. "Really. I'd be willing to help brighten this place up a bit. It'll take some time, but I believe I can make this place more livable."

Eresh's eyes brightened up and she quickly appeared in front of him. She was quite a bit shorter than him, which honestly fed his older brother ego as she stared up at him.

She grasped his hands and smiled. "Oh! How wonderful! If you follow through with this, I shall reward you handsomely for your efforts! I swear this as the goddess of Irkalla!"

If Shirou could have died again, he probably would have. He hadn't felt like this in years... not since Gilgamesh's childhood days!

It was such a nice thought, he couldn't help but stare at her for a moment. As he did so, realization dawned in her eyes and the goddess quickly pulled back with a little 'eep!'.

Straightening herself up. She coughed into her hand and tried to pull her hood down to hide her face as she regained her composure.

"U-um... I mean-"

Shirou waved his hand and tried his best not to smile. "Don't worry, I understand. But first off... I would love a pair of tablets first."

Eresh blinked at the strange request before shrugging. Waving her hand, two nearby chunks of rock split in half and made a perfect square before floating gently towards him.

The goddess looked on in curiosity as he plucked the tablets out of the air. "What do you plan on doing with those?"

"I plan on writing a story." Shirou replied as he moved over to a nearby rock and tried to make himself comfortable. "Is it possible for you to make a sort of gateway to the land of the living?"

"Possible? Yes. However, that's strictly against protocol down here. No soul is allowed back up into the living under any circumstances." She crossed her arms and frowned at him. "I mean, that's common knowledge. Didn't your mother teach you better?"

No doubt his mother would have blown a fuse if she had heard that, but he once again wisely chose to omit another thought.

"I'm not talking like a physical gateway, but an astral one. Like an observational lens." Shirou rephrased. "That is within your rules, right?"

The goddess paused and seemingly mulled it over for a couple seconds before shrugging.

"Well... I've never received a request for something like this, so I can't really say no..." Eresh muttered with a contemplative look. "Any particular vision you want me to show you?"

"My family, if you don't mind."

She stared at him with slightly raised eyebrows. "Family? Are you absolutely sure? They're probably mourning your loss or something like that. Even for me, that gets a little bit sappy."

"Ah... You don't have to watch if you don't want to. This is more like a personal matter for me."

He wanted to see it all the way until the end. Even if the outcome was horrible, even if there was no shred of a happy ending for this tale, he wanted to write it down and document it.

Why? Hell if he knew. He just had the gut feeling that he should write this tale down for future generations. Someday in the future, someone is going to find these tablets, read them over, and think: _"Geez, what a crazy time these people lived in. I'm glad I wasn't born like them."_

His brother had always said that he would observe, and he had once told him that he had caught a glimpse of humanity's future. An age that would span far into the future... that's what he saw.

So if anything... he just wanted to leave a memento behind for the future generations.

Plus, he was stuck down here for the rest of time. Might as well do something productive.

Eresh sighed. "Fine, but don't come crying to me if you can't handle it. Even my generosity has its limits."

"I'll keep that in mind."

He smiled and picked up a nearby stone that would make a good chisel.

And as a familiar image of a glorious city appeared before him, he begun to spin the tale that would last for centuries. A tale about a foolish king, his first friend, and his workaholic brother.

What a strange family they made.


	9. 4th Holy Grail War (1)

_"Everything has a beginning and end, Gil."_

 _Gilgamesh, proud king of Uruk, looked like a shadow of his former self. His normally powerful frame, which was filled to the brim with life and unparalleled strength, looked like it had aged a hundred years. He had lost weight, and the red tattoos on his abs barely flickered with power. Dark bags had formed under his eyes, showing that he hadn't even bothered to close them for days._

 _King of Heroes... more like a king of disappointment. Hardly a king at all._

 _In his arms, lying motionless and without life, was the body of his first and only friend. The green haired beauty who was created by the gods themselves, had died by their very hand shortly after they had conquered the Bull of Heaven._

 _Ishtar had not apparently been satisfied with taking his brother's life... she had also decided to take away his only friend away from him by siring the attention of the other gods. How vile that goddess was. If she ever had the audacity to show her face to him again, he would no doubt attempt to kill her once again in a rage._

 _He would have accepted it if Enkidu had fallen in battle. He would have accepted nothing less for his friend. But that vile goddess had chosen the cowardly route and simply plagued Enkidu with sickness until she perished, crippled and in pain on the bed._

 _It was nearly too much for the great king to bear. He had done everything he could to save her, but not even the divine medicine or ailments could save his friend from the inevitable. Even when she perished, he continued to stay by her side under the false hope that she would wake up again._

 _How utterly naive he was._

 _And so here he was, personally descending down to Irkalla to bury the remains on his own. He wouldn't trust anyone else with the job._

 _But as he arrived, he found himself face to face with a familiar individual._

 _"Enkidu died because of the gods. It was an unjust end!"_

 _Gil hissed those words at his brother, who stood in front of him with a sad look in his eyes. His form wasn't transparent like that of the shades that hovered around the place, but he was most certainly dead._

 _"Be that as it may, what's done is done. You must not let your emotions control you so." Shirou proclaimed in a soft tone. "You lost us. I cannot pretend to understand how you feel, but you still have people to look after."_

 _"How can I? When those foolish gods are killing all of those close to me?" Gilgamesh growled._

 _"Then become strong. Become the king the people want you to be. You've been given blessings, fame, power. You have all the tools at your disposal to achieve anything. You are not a plaything of the gods, no matter how many of them decided for you to be."_

 _"Your words do nothing to soothe me, brother." Gilgamesh looked away, not willing to face Shirou. "I will always be their plaything... so long as I can feel the cold embrace of death."_

 _"Death is an inevitable force that comes for all, Gil. Even the gods, with their immortality, will inevitably meet it."_

 _"Then I will beat it. I will cheat it. I will make it so that this body of mine will never fall. Not even the strength of the gods will be able to subjugate me." Gil growled, a bright fire being lit in his eyes as he proclaimed his goal. Shirou, for his part, looked more troubled than impressed._

 _"Gil... Cheating death isn't something one can do. For a time? It may be possible. However, you'd be foolish to believe that you could outrun it forever."_

 _"I will do it. Watch me do it. I'll achieve immortality with my own hands." Gilgamesh hissed before holding out Enkidu's body to Shirou. "Give my friend a proper burial here. Only the dead have any business in this realm."_

 _Shirou remained silent. His expression wasn't readable, though he seemed to have accepted such an outcome. He took Enkidu's body gently into his hands and watched silently as Gilgamesh turned and walked away._

 _"Even now you're still prideful." He muttered quietly as he turned around and went his own way. "You never listen to anything I tell you anymore because of it."_

 _He paused._

 _"Though it is ironic... I feel as if your pride is the only thing that teaches you better than I ever could."_

* * *

With a gasp, Gilgamesh's eyes shot open and he sat up in his bed...

"Tch..."

...Only to be assaulted by the sunlight that peaked through the window of his room.

Slowly rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he swung his feet off the side of his glorious king-sized bed and slipped into his comfortable yellow slippers that were neatly organized on the side.

He slept in the nude, just like usual. His bed was already made out of the highest quality materials, so why wouldn't he allow his body to enjoy maximum comfort by adding another layer of clothes?

Sleeping nude was the way to go.

His room was quite spacious and luxurious, looking like a high-class apartment suite that would probably put most millionares to shame. The walls, ceiling, and even the floor were decorated with one-hundred percent real gold and other rare gems. Importing all of these would probably be enough for one to buy a small country.

But the king of heroes, who strode over to the closet mindlessly, didn't even bat an eye. Wealth and power always came to him. Such a thing was normal for one who held the title of king.

Besides, his thoughts were on more important things right now.

"That same dream again..."

He grumbled to himself as he picked out a fresh set of clothes for him to wear, which included sleek black pants with a white shirt and a black vest thrown over it.

"Why is it that I'm seeing that dream again... I wonder?"

It wasn't uncommon for him to dream. He was still human, after all. Even so, it was unusual for him to be dreaming about his own past like this. He wasn't one to dwell on past events, yet this had been going on for some time now.

He wasn't particularly upset. Just more... conflicted. He had accepted his history, no matter how many hurdles were placed before him. No matter how anyone else would judge or revile his legend, he had always remained true to himself. He was the king and observer of mankind, so their thoughts had no bearing on him anyway.

The death of Enkidu... the death of his brother... he had made peace with them, even if his hatred for that vile goddess still remained. So why is it that he felt melancholy when he dreamed?

"Perhaps a walk will clear my mind."

As he finished changing into his casual clothes, he opened the nearby door and slipped into the bright hallway outside.

* * *

Humanity had long since advanced into the future, just as he had predicted. It had been a little bit more than 4,000 years since he had walked the earth, but the human race has seemingly had no trouble sticking around.

They had spread themselves over all corners of the globe, even to areas outside of his own kingdom. While this technically meant nothing since the entire world was his garden, it was still an impressive achievement considering that not even the humans of his own time were capable of colonizing the entirety of Gaia.

Still, he couldn't help but feel... disappointed.

Humanity had advanced. What had seemed like magic so long ago became daily occurrences with the growth of technology. The magical world was slowly starting to loose relevance and those who wielded the supernatural had been reduced to hiding in the shadows.

They achieved flight, harnessed electricity, and even invented a way to reach the celestial moon that hangs around mother earth. Praiseworthy achievements. That is something he could not disagree with.

But this was something he had expected to achieve a long time ago. Why was it that it took them this long to get here? He expected more from them, honestly.

The history the grail had provided to him didn't exactly empress him either. Numerous conflicts between many countries. Two world wars. Inept politicians...

And to top it all off...

"My king... How do you fare this evening?"

A rich man dressed in a red suit and tie stepped out of a nearby doorway. He was middle aged, but he held a ruby-tipped cane that he leaned on. He gave off a regal air that one would expect to find on a man of high-standard, but it just served to annoy Gilgamesh.

He forced himself not to roll his eyes like a child at this man's presence. He couldn't believe people like him existed. It was so unbearably annoying having to deal with this... worm.

"How I fare is of none of your concern, Tokiomi. I was simply thinking about going out for a walk." Gilgamesh replied evenly. He really didn't want to talk longer than necessary.

Tokiomi's face twitched for a split second in surprise. "A walk? There isn't really much for you to see outside with the rabble... it'd be more interesting if you were to wait until-"

"If I wanted your opinion Tokiomi... I would have asked for it." He cut in with an annoyed look, silencing the man mid-sentence. In the face of one who held true power, the weaker being had no choice but to subjugate themselves... even if the relationship between them was master and servant.

He strolled past the mage and towards the door. "Do not contact me unless you have something important to say. If you waste my time again... I'll make you regret ever having summoned me. Remember that."

And with that warning, he strolled out of the mansion. As the doors closed behind him, Tokiomi let out a sigh of frustration.

This was harder on him than he originally thought. He believed that with the strongest servant on his side, the Holy Grail War would be easy pickings and he would be able to reclaim the grail for the glory of his family. But even before this war started, he was already having problems.

Gilgamesh was surely not bluffing. Even if he was dependent on him to remain in this world, he would no doubt kill him in a heartbeat like one swat a fly out of the air. He was like a disobedient dog that never listens to orders that were given.

Risking a command seal wasn't an option. Using one would have serious consequences no matter what order was given. The strongest servant was like a magnitude ten earthquake; you couldn't stop him. You could only minimize the casualties.

That was what he had prepared for. He knew his servant would be quite the egomaniac if his stories were anything to go by. Unfortunately, he had severely misjudged just how big of an ego his servant would have.

He muttered curses under his breath. He was a Tohsaka, damn it! A royal bloodline revered as among the greatest lineages to ever walk the earth. They had been one of the founders of the Grail War, a ritual that would be able to achieve the impossible. And yet here he was... tossed around by his own servant like a rag doll. From the way things were going... he would just serve as a mana generator for the haughty king.

And while he did have some news that would no doubt qualify as important, he decided to keep quiet for the time being. Even if Gilgamesh said to only bother him when he had such important information, he didn't put it past him to get angry anyway.

He could only hope the others would summon their servants soon. He could barely keep the golden king 'entertained' for much longer.

* * *

"Ah, yes... this shall do nicely."

Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald smiled haughtily as he surveyed the penthouse suite that would serve as his base for the duration of the Holy Grail War. It was a luxurious room built at the highest floor in the building. Renting it for only one night would cost way more than what the average human makes in three months. And while he certainly had the money to do so, he didn't see any need to use it.

He was a mage of the highest standing. Mortals who had no knowledge of the arcane arts were lower than ants to someone of his stature. Brainwashing and hypnotizing the manager had come as a second nature for him. As an aristocrat, he held that right to do so.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Kayneth."

The magus turned to his fiancé, Sola-Ui, as she walked into the room with a palpable air of coolness benefitting a fellow aristocrat. She crossed her arms and furrowed her brow.

"On the top floor of this building? We're sitting ducks in here if someone were to assault this place."

"My dear... Do you have so little faith in me? I assure you, we are in an advantageous position." He proclaimed as he took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs with a haughty smile. "Once I ward the place, this normal building will become an impenetrable fortress even for a servant. Doors that lead to other dimensions... soul-eating wraiths... cursing hexes... Ha! Nobody will get through unscathed."

Sola glanced out the window. "And what about the other buildings? Surely another servant could just get in by hopping across? Or even worse, an Archer could snipe us."

"Our servant is the perfect countermeasure for that. With an active skill that detects everything within a ten-kilometer radius, we won't be taken by surprise. Even Assassin's presence concealment is useless! We have no blind spots up here."

"I suppose..."

She still had her doubts. The servant they had summoned was by no means weak. She couldn't deny that her sorry excuse for a future-husband had found a catalyst for an incredibly powerful hero. But even still... the mere fact that Kayneth was spearheading the war effort made her antsy.

He was no doubt a powerful mage, but that was about it. When it came to anything outside of magecraft, he was painfully lacking. She doubted he had any actual experience with combat.

As he flashed her a pompous smile, he swept his hand towards the window in a grandiose manner. "This little game is where the greatest of mages gather to test our might. I shall prove my superiority against all of them and bring glory to the house of El-Melloi! We will be the ones to return victorious!"

"Well lets hope you can back up that bravado." Sola muttered under her breath. "In any case, where is our servant? I haven't seen lancer since we arrived in Fuyuki."

"I merely kept Lancer in spirit form. Having it walk around with the commoners would attract some unnecessary attention. But seeing as we have the place to ourselves we no longer have to worry about that." Kayneth lifted his hand, revealing the red command seals. "Lancer! Appear!"

Whisps of blue particles began to form in front of Kayneth at his command, materializing itself to reveal a humanoid figure with green hair. A blank expression was on her face, resembling that of an autonomous doll. The only friend of the king of heroes... the only one said to be capable of matching his strength...

"I have come, master." Enkidu announced with a monotone voice. "You requested my presence?"

"Yes. Me and my fiancé wished to make sure that you haven't strayed too far from us." Kayneth explained, obviously pleased with such an instant response. "You haven't shown yourself to anyone, have you?"

"No. I was merely keeping to myself on the roof and making sure that no one tracked us from the airport." Enkidu replied, not once changing in expression. "I can confirm that there are no familiars in the area and no magical signatures. We are safe."

"Wonderful. It wouldn't do to have some low-life trying to get the drop on us. Though if they were to do so they would easily fall against my genius." He stated with another haughty smirk, missing the rolling eyes of Sola. "Although speaking of getting the drop... I believe it is time for us to head out and seek the other competitors."

"It is already dark, Kayneth. The others would have been wandering around an hour ago." Sola said bluntly. "Perhaps some are already fighting without you."

Kayneth scowled at that. Fighting without him? Preposterous. Nothing would start until he arrived. He would not allow it. The first duel of the war will be started by him and he would claim victory over the opposing masters and servants. Such was the pride of an aristocratic magus.

"Lancer! Expand your senses and find the other servants!" He ordered with a pound of his fist against the armrest like a king. Complying with the request, Enkidu casted out her senses with her presence detection skill. Even for a servant, her ability to sense other spiritual beings from a distance was abnormally more powerful. This was due to her connection with the land, allowing her to use the earth as if it was a sense of touch.

She could sense the presence of magical energy around the city to a frightening degree and instantly located all six of the other servants in several seconds. From the looks of things, none of them were in particular conflict with each other. Most of them were all scattered around in different areas and were too far away to be made known of each other's presence.

But it was strange... two of the signatures were oddly familiar. Very familiar.

"Ah... So that's how it is."

"What was that, lancer?" Kayneth asked, intently staring at the servant with curiosity at the new expression she was making.

"It's nothing, master. I just simply finished locating all of the servants." Enkidu replied without pause, giving no hint to a slight bout of excitement welling up inside of her. "If you wish, I can take you to the servant nearest to our location."

"Excellent. Such efficiency pleases me, Lancer. We will depart posthaste and make our presence known!" Kayneth declared proudly as he stood up from his seat and made his way to the door. "Sola! Stay here while I'm gone and prepare our defenses."

Her face twitched at that. How demeaning this was to her pride as a magus! If she had her way, she'd have never come to this forsaken city to participate in this war. Kayneth could have gone alone for all she cared, but no! He wanted her to be there when he won the grail.

It's not like he was doing any of the heavy lifting anyways. While he was the master of lancer, she was the one who actually provided for the servant's upkeep. He had claimed that he wanted to be able to duel with the enemy masters while lancer dealt with their servants, but she didn't care for such excuses. It infuriated her to be reduced to nothing more than a prana battery.

But she sucked it in and stayed quiet. She would do as he said for the time being. Like it or not, she was here now and would doubtlessly be targeted simply because she was associated with Kayneth. Even if the other magi didn't know about her role as a prana battery, that wouldn't stop them from killing her.

She could only hope to keep a low profile and for the war to end soon. Who knows? Perhaps Kayneth would be killed in the days to follow and she'd be able to break off from this stupid marriage.

Now that sounded like a good thought. She felt much better already.

* * *

"Is this a triangle? No... wait, a circle! Ah, I guess that makes sense. The shapes do seem to match somewhat. Man! This black magic is so confusing!"

Ryuunosuke Uryuu, serial killer extraordinary, complained loudly to himself as he finished drawing an intricate design on the ground with what looked to be dark red paint, but if anyone were in the room with him they would not mistake the smell of blood for anything else.

He held an old tome in one hand that was flipped open to a page containing the exact sigil that he had inscribed on the floor, albeit with a few key mistakes that would have had any senior magus pulling their hair out in utter disgust.

"Well, I guess this is good enough." He shrugged as he flipped the page to the next where a bunch of writing was scribbled out. Despite the faint light emitting from the nearby TV, he couldn't exactly see his work in great detail. He could only hope that the ritual would go just like the book said it would.

His face scrunched up as he red the incantation. "Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Repeat four times. Um... destroyed when filled." He narrowed his eyes. "Wait... or is that five times?" He shook his head as he reread the page. "Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. All right, that makes five times! Now- hm?"

 _"-At all three murder scenes, a mysterious pentagram drawn in the victims' blood was found. The reason behind the pentagram or why it was drawn remains a mystery and-"_

"Hm... Perhaps I went a little bit too far this time." He muttered thoughtfully as he shut the TV off. Throwing the remote aside he turned his attention to the only other living being in the room; a child who he had bound up and gagged.

He smiled. "You know kid, I've been getting such a bad rep with the press. They're starting to call me a demon, can you believe it?"

"Hrm! Hrrrm!"

The kid screamed against his gag with terror as Ryuunosuke addressed him. What the hell was going on? He had been watching TV with his family when this creep came out of nowhere! he had brandished a knife and... He heard his parents screaming when...

He froze when he felt his leg hit something hard. What was that? That didn't feel like furniture... It didn't feel like wood. What-

The object rolled in front of him and he nearly blanked out in terror.

It was his father's decapitated head.

"Mmmmm!"

"Yeah, I know. Decapitation isn't really my style, but I needed a lot of blood to make this circle." Ryuunosuke sighed nonchalantly like he was talking about the weather before he smiled. "I mean I heard that summoning a demon was complicated work, but not this complicated!"

This was insane. Summon a demon? That's fantasy! How could anyone buy into this stuff?

"Well, I think I got it all down. The demon should be summoned soon!" His smile turned mischevious as he leaned in. "And if he does show up... It'd be polite to give him a sacrifice to appease him, right? So please..."

He clasped his hands together like he was praying. "Try to make yourself as appetizing as possible, okay?"

"MMMMM!"

The two of them suddenly froze as the bloody circle began to light up with ethereal light. Otherworldly energy was filtered into the spot as the Grail began the process of summoning a servant.

After several seconds, the process reached its peak with an explosion of energy and darkness reclaimed the apartment once again.

"Woah..." Ryuunosuke muttered in awe as he lowered his hands. His eyes were slightly disoriented due to the light, but they were quickly refocusing. In the center of the blood circle, he could vaguely make out a form that was humanoid in stature.

It was wearing a yellow tunic with red accents and black pants that were covered by sleek silver leggings. He also had silver armored gauntlets that covered all the way up to his elbows. To top it all off, he wore a red cape with a golden edge that gave him a grand look fit for a warrior king.

"I am a servant sent here to fight for the grail war. My class is Caster and-" The being froze as the scent of blood reached his nose and he looked around to better understand where he had been summoned and who had summoned him.

Ryuunosuke stepped forward and presented himself with a confused look as he got a good look at this 'demon'. Did demons usually look like this? This looked more like a knight or something.

"Um... are you a demon? That's what I was kind of going for with all this. That's what the old tome said would be summoned if I did this all correctly."

The being looked at him, but it was too dark to see its expression. Several awkward silence passed for a second before he coughed.

"So... if you are a demon, do you want to have a sacrifice? I had one prepared for you!" He offered like one would offer a candy bar or a burger. The being looked to the terrified child lying on the ground and tensed up, unbeknownst to Ryuunosuke.

"...Did you capture this child?" The being asked, earning a proud smile from the serial killer despite the edge in the tone.

"Sure did? I wanted to appease you so we could become great friends! I heard that every demon needed an offering so I kept this child alive after I killed his parents!"

"I see... Then I'll have to thank you for giving me a suitable replacement."

Ryuunosuke beamed proudly at the compliment. "No problem! I hope you don't mind as I watch though. Killing is sort of a hobby of mine and I would really love to see how a demon would kill a-"

The troubled man didn't even get to finish his sentence as a golden portal opened up and a silver shot out with the speed of a bullet, ripping through his face and killing him instantly as fresh blood splattered against the nearby wall.

* * *

"Are you alright, child?"

Shirou slowly got to work in calming down the terrified child as he began undoing the ropes that restrained him. With his strength, it was easy to rip apart the knots that bound the child. As he gently removed the gag, the boy gasped for more air as his passageway was no longer blocked.

"G-get away f-from me!" The child yelped as he tried to back away from him, but found himself pressed up against the back of a couch.

Shirou sighed. This wasn't what he had expected when he had been summoned. A serial killer? Really? The grail had a weird sense of humor when it came to picking masters. He would never work with someone like that.

Seriously... to keep a child alive as a sacrifice was a new form of messed up.

He held his arms up in a placating manner. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm no demon, see? Think of me... like a knight in shining armor."

The child sniffed. "A-a knight?"

"Yes, a knight. Like from a fairy tale book." Shirou repeated with a smile. "I'm a hero... and only heroes do good. I won't do anything to harm you, alright?"

"P-pinkie promise?"

"Pinkie promise."

Childish things like this didn't exist when he was alive, but the grail had already given him information on things like this despite how useless it may have been in relevance with the grail war.

Though it's not like it mattered. He'd disappear in a few hours without a master to support him. He was already burning through his own mana supply.

He extended his little pinkie and wrapped it around the child's own in a comforting manner. As he did so, however, he suddenly noticed something unusual.

On the boy's hand, despite the fact that it should be impossible, were a pair of command seals.

He narrowed his eyes in shock and slight concern. So the grail had chosen him to take the place of a master? Why? He was just a child! And from what he could tell, it was the serial killer who had drawn the circle, not him!

But... the grail always chose those who had a desire. The boy's desire to survive must have eclipsed the serial killer's desire to kill. He wouldn't be surprised, but now the child was a precarious spot. This Holy Grail war was not for the faint of heart... especially not a place for a child.

He sighed. This was too much for him but he would have to make do. He'd worry about the servants later. Right now, they needed to move quickly.

"Are you able to walk?" He asked as he stood up. "I'm sure you'd want to leave as soon as possible, yes?"

The child nodded slowly, but he was still clearly shaken if his quivering feet are anything to go by as he forced himself up. "W-where are we going?"

"Somewhere cleaner than this where you can get cleaned up." Shirou said as he opened the door and made sure that there wasn't anyone around. He suddenly remembered something. "By the way... what's your name, kid?"

"My name?" The boy echoed. No doubt his mother told him not to give his name to strangers, but...

"Fujimaru. Fujimaru Ritsuka."


	10. Stat Sheet

**Class: Caster**

 **Master: Fujimaru Ritsuka**

 **True Name: Shirou**

 **Titles: Mortal King of Uruk, King of Knowledge, Brother of Gilgamesh.**

 **Sex: Male**

 **Height/Weight: Unknown.**

 **Alignment: lawful Good**

 **Biography: The older brother of King Gilgamesh, considered to be the only mortal of his time who was comparable in strength to the divine king. While he himself wasn't the prophesied king, due to the actions of Gilgamesh in his early years, he was forced to take up the mantle from time to time. Thus, his name shows up in the list of kings who ruled Uruk.**

 **A man whose patience and sense of responsibility are second to none. A brother, teacher, and friend to Gilgamesh, he was the only one who he treated with any ounce of respect before Enkidu arrived.**

 **Everyone in Uruk loved him and he loved them back in return. He even loved his brother despite how rebellious he had become. When the goddess Ishtar sought revenge on Gilgamesh for his adamant refusal of her, he stood alone to face the goddess while Enkidu and Gilgamesh faced the bull of heaven.**

 **Despite the teachings endowed within him by his warrior father and scholarly mother, he only succeeded in taking the goddess down at the cost of his own life.**

 **A man with an older brother disposition. He'd no doubt get along with anyone so longs as they were respectable individuals. Has a weakness to the younger sister/younger brother variety.**

 **Strength: B**

 **Endurance: C**

 **Agility: B**

 **Mana: A**

 **Luck: A**

 **Noble Phantasm: EX**

 **Class Skills**

 **Territory Creation: A**

 **Allows for the creation and establishment of a territory. At A rank, a territory on the level of a temple is capable of being created.**

 **As one who had designed and expanded on the city of Uruk, it is expected for the rank to be particularly high.**

 **Item Construction: EX**

 **Allows for the creation of magical artifacts. As the man who created the vault that would contain everything of human origin, this skill is the highest it can be. Nothing is impossible to create for him so long as he has the necessary tools and equipment needed. Even weapons on the level of divine constructs can be created, but the lack of materials and the loss of mystery have made the chances of success infinitely close to zero.**

 **Divinity: C**

 **Obtained due to being bathed in the healing ointment of the goddess Ninsun and infused with a small portion of her own divinity.**

 **Personal Skills:**

 **Golden Rule: A**

 **The same rank as Gilgamesh, who obtained all kinds of riches.**

 **Divine Wisdom of Man: EX**

 **A skill that symbolizes the knowledge he obtained under the tutelage of his two parents: Ninsun and Lugalbanda. Brought up to be the older brother who would lead the great king, this skill is a composite skill of Charisma, Military Tactics, Monster Slaying, Mana Burst, and much more due to living in a time where such skills were required. The perfect combination of Combat and Miscellaneous Skills.**

 **In addition, this skill also allows for the acquisition of other skills at a proficiency of B to A and said skills can also be taught to another with time.**

 **Shirou is a hero whose ability to lead is often comparable to the King of Heroes. Indeed, though Gilgamesh would never admit it due to brotherly pride, Shirou is the only one other than Enkidu that could be considered better than him in some aspects. The Merlin to his Arthur, Uruk would no doubt have been worse off if Shirou had not been there to guide his brother.**

 **(The skill also allows one to deal with the drama of Gilgamesh, though it doesn't prevent migraines.)**

 **Bravery: A+**

 **A skill that negates mental interference and fear through sheer willpower and courage. As someone who put his line on the line for the safety of Uruk, fighting against both gods and monsters alike, he is no doubt amongst the most courageous of heroes.**

 **Noble Phantasm:**

 **Wisdom of Babylon: E - EX (Anti-Unit, Anti-Army)**

 **The Gate of Babylon under a different name. While Gilgamesh's use of this noble phantasm may symbol his greed and luxury, Shirou's represents the true wealth of human wisdom that has been amassed over the centuries. The only things that cannot be found inside would be items of new 'Concepts' created by new humans, or those of an alien species.**

 **It can be used in the exact same way as Gilgamesh's and it is a method that has proven to be most effective. Shirou's preferred method, however, is to switch between weapons while in the middle of combat in order to throw off his opponent. Not to say that he's opposed to shooting swords now and then.**

 **It also contains Ea, but out of personal preference, he'd rather not use it.**

 **Enki: A+ - EX (Anti-fortress, Anti-World)**

 **The main noble phantasm that was gifted to him from his mother. A sword/Bow that was created during the initiation of the great deluge that washed the earth and cleansed it. It was said that multiple parties were involved in such a large flood, but the ancient gods of Mesopotamia created this weapon to initiate it on their end.**

 **Just as Ea is Gilgamesh's ultimate noble phantasm, Enki is Shirou's. As it is capable of re-enacting the great deluge, it is a noble phantasm capable of destroying the world. However, it requires time to perform this ultimate attack. In order to circumvent this weakness, another technique was created.**

 **Channeling the power of the great flood into a single arrow of light, it is released with the ability to 'cleanse' all things. It does extra damage against those who have done 'Evil', as the flood was done to punish the wickedness of man.**


	11. 4th Holy Grail War (2)

Shirou took in the sights as he led the quiet child by the arm through the busy city streets. Even if it was night there were still quite a large amount of people roaming the city alongside those strange, yet efficient contraptions known as cars.

Human ingenuity had really improved since his time. Even if he had designed the great city of Uruk, he found himself taken away by the architecture of the city. It wasn't as graceful or spacious, but it held a sense of beauty in itself. Everything was compact, but were organized cleanly in a way that made it livable. He certainly had new material to work with later...

"U-um..."

He looked back at the kid he was guiding, who was giving him a confused expression as he pointed to his clothes. "People are staring at your clothes."

Shirou blinked at that. Looking around, he realized that the boy was indeed telling the truth. Subtle glances and whispers were thrown his way, but they were too polite to keep staring for long. He heard mutters of 'Gaijin' and other words, but he didn't particularly care.

All of this attention did present a problem though. They were in a war right now, and while he would most likely be mistaken for a cosplayer the other servants would no doubt investigate. He had been too distracted with getting the child away from the crime scene that he had temporarily forgotten about the little details.

He witheld a groan. At least the war was in Japan. People dressing like this were considered a normal sight in some areas, so he probably didn't have to worry about being stopped by the police.

"It's fine. If people want to stare, that's okay." He made a mental note to go out and buy some clothes later. He could look around the treasury for some modern looking clothes, but that might take forever. Not even he could search through the enormous treasury on his own. "And what about you? Are you holding out fine?"

Ritsuka sniffed. "I guess... I just wished mommy and daddy were..."

Shirou's eyes softened. All things considered, his master was handling the situation quite well despite his young age. Still, no child should have had to watch his parents die like that in front of him. He never knew his true parents so he could sympathize on some level, but he couldn't imagine the pain of having your family ripped away from you.

"Do you have any other family here? Someone we could go for help?" Shirou asked gently.

To his slight disappointment, Ritsuka shook his head. "Mother and father don't have any other relatives in the city. Most of them are in other countries or other cities."

"I see..." Shirou muttered. He glanced at a nearby building with the name 'Grand Fuyuki Hilton Hotel' and sighed. Guess he would have to stick with the original plan. He gently pulled his master's hand. "Come on. We'll get a room."

"In there?" Ritsuka questioned with wide eyes. "That's one of the most expensive hotels in all of Fuyuki!"

"Expense is of no consequence." He gave a sly wink. "Just follow my lead, alright? I'll do all of the talking."

"O-ok..."

The pair entered the building, ignoring the occasional look that was sent their way. The door attendees raised their eyebrows, but they let the two of them inside.

As they walked up to the counter, Shirou gave the attendant a polite smile.

"One room please."

The attendant, who was a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties, gazed up at him with a tired expression. Probably a new employee who was not used to her shift hours yet.

"Do you have a reservation?" She asked. Her tone was very professional, but her posture was of someone who ached for sleep.

At least this would make his job easier.

"Yes. Room 307." He lied, ignoring the confused look his master gave him. "I paid in advance and it has been a long day. May I have my key?"

The woman stared at him, her brows furrowing. Even while exhausted, she could still sense that something was wrong. "Sir, I have to check first. It's just protocol. May I have your name?"

"There is no need for that," He locked eyes with the woman and an odd feeling shot through her body. What was happening? "I have room number 307 reserved. It has been a long day and we both need to sleep. May I have the key?"

Several seconds passed between them before the attendant opened a nearby cabinet. Rummaging through it, she pulled out a card and handed it too him. Her eyes were glazed over like she was half-conscious.

"Have a nice day." She muttered as if she was a robot.

"Thank you. Please forget about this." He grabbed his master's hand. "lets go, kid."

He led the kid away towards the elevator, leaving the attendant behind. Ritsuka sent a questioning glance towards him, obviously realizing that Shirou had pulled off a crime right in front of him.

"What was that? How did you convince her to give us a card?" He whispered with child-like curiosity.

"A simple suggestion spell. It works better on the weak minded." Shirou replied casually as if he was talking about the weather, and not about using magic to commit an illegal act.

"But isn't that a crime? Won't we get caught?" Ritsuka nervously glanced at the cameras that hung throughout the place. Wouldn't security find something wrong if they reviewed the footage?

"I doubt it, but I'll deal with it if it happens."

The two of them packed into the elevator which luckily didn't have anyone inside. Heading up to the third floor, it didn't even take them a minute to come across their room once they exited the elevator. Taking the card key and inserting it into the slot, the door opened with a click.

He entered the dark room with Ritsuka trailing behind him with a look of wonder in his eyes. Switching on the light, the room revealed itself to be quite plain looking. There were two beds and a simple desk for work related endeavors. A TV was stationed at the front of the room with the remote sitting next to it.

It wasn't much, but it would suit their needs for now.

"We'll be safe in here," He said as he closed the blinds, ensuring a mediocre amount of safety. He turned to Ritsuka and gently took his hand. "Now then... I'm sure you're wondering what's going on, right?"

Ritsuka nodded and Shirou sighed. He really felt like this was some sort of cruel joke. This kid just lost his parents and now he was supposed to drop this bombshell on him? Was Ishtar still messing with him even after death?

"For starters, my name is Shirou. I'm a servant summoned by the Holy Grail in order to participate in the Holy Grail War."

"...Holy Grail War? Servant?" Ritsuka echoed, obviously confused by such terminology.

Shirou nodded. "Indeed. It is a secret war fought in this city for the sake of the Holy Grail, a wish granting device. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it because it's often kept secret from the public. Not even the government is aware of the existence of this war."

The boy's mouth dropped in wonderment. "But... A secret war? Something the government isn't aware of?"

"Yes. It's a secret war fought by mages and servants; heroes brought back from the dead," Shirou continued. "I am one of those servants. I was summoned with the sole intent of fighting in this war alongside my summoner. I had thought that my master would have been the one who killed your parents, but it seems the circumstances have changed."

Shirou waited for a couple seconds as the child processed this information. Realization soon dawned in his eyes.

"T-then... I'm your master?" Ritsuka whispered.

"That is correct. Your desire to live was strong enough to be chosen by the grail." He gently grasped the boy's left hand and pointed at a red tatoo in the design of a sword. "These are command spells, the proof of our contract together."

Ritsuka blinked as he stared at the red sword. "A tatoo? Mother told me never to get one..."

He couldn't help but smile at that. "Well, so long as you hide it everything should be fine. In fact, it is imperative that you do hide it. It'd be quite odd if someone saw you with that at your age."

"Got it!"

He didn't want to terrify the boy with the truth. His master already had enough on his plate. If he realized that the other participants would kill him in a heartbeat if they realized that he was a master, that would no doubt open another can of worms which he didn't need to deal with right now.

"Now then. Since this is a war, you must make sure to keep yourself hidden. I'll be the one who does all of the actual fighting," Shirou continued on. "I'll be with you at all times, but when I start to fight, please make sure to stay hidden."

"Well... Okay, but I'm sure I'll be fine! You'll never loose, right?"

Oh! Such childish innocence! He had to withhold a sigh of amusement from such a statement. This boy reminded him of Gilgamesh in his early years and it was hitting him with a wave of nostalgia.

"I'll try not to, but the other servants will be quite strong as well. It'll be a tough fight ahead for the both of us," He paused. "But enough about that. Lets get you something to eat. You must be hungry, right?"

Ritsuka nodded with a smile. "Yeah! Lets go eat!" He suddenly frowned. "But, um... do you have to do that thing that you did with the lady again?"

"Hypnosis? No. I think I'll do it the normal way from now on."

* * *

Kiritsugu Emiya remained emotionless as he watched his wife Irisviel walk throughout the dark streets of Fuyuki with 'her' servant Saber by her side. He was perched atop a nearby building with a good vantage point, keeping a lookout for any dangerous threats that they could potentially draw out.

They weren't exactly keeping their presence well hidden. Her servant, the legendary King Arthur, was like a walking beacon. She wasn't someone who could hide her magical signature so easily and Irisviel easily stood out with her white clothing and childish personality. He intended for them to draw out as many of the competitors as possible so he could potentially kill the masters who would be foolish enough to come in person to gloat.

He knew mages. They were like that.

The war had already started off with a bang. Earlier, the servant known as Assassin had attempted to assault the Tohsaka manor under the cover of darkness. However, the servant had been killed by what he could only assume to be the Archer servant before he could even reach the front door. He assumed most masters were satisfied with the outcome, as the assassin class wasn't particularly well liked for their underhanded tactics.

He, however, had chosen to take precautions. He knew who the master of Assassin was and couldn't force himself to believe that he would send his servant in so recklessly.

Kirei Kotomine... an expert executioner and the master of Assassin. He had done some background research on him and was convinced that he was the only true threat to him in this grail war. He couldn't just believe that the man would drop out like that.

He scoped the area once again and sighed. There was still no action on his end. Raising a small cellphone to his mouth, he addressed the person on the other end.

"Maiya, do you see anything?"

"No. Nothing on my end. My familiars haven't detected anything."

"Hm. Continue monitoring the situation then."

"Understood."

He set the phone down as Irisviel and Saber turned the corner, heading towards the beach. They were out of his effective range at this point, so he'd have to move.

Packing his stuff up, he stuck to the shadows as he followed the pair.

* * *

Gilgamesh glowered in annoyance as he walked around the city. He was still in a foul mood, but Tokiomi's little plan to 'slaughter' assassin had alleviated his mood by just a tiny margin.

Still, he was starting to get bored once again. Killing such a lowly servant wasn't even worth the bare minimum amount of effort. The assassin class servant was like a fly he could easily swat at any time. He needed something else.

The other servants would be far more entertaining than some lowly assassin. Thus, despite Tokiomi's pleadings to wait for the servants to come to them, he decided to wander around on his own.

He made no attempt to hide his own presence and didn't bother putting his golden armor on. Such an act could have been seen as foolishness stemming from arrogance, but what was a king if not for that? He had no need for it anyway. He was strong enough on his own and could easily handle three servants by himself if he so wished. Such was the strength of a king.

Heading towards the quieter side of the city, he found himself near the docks as the smell of saltwater assaulted his nose. The place was quiet and devoid of normal humans. If any servants were wandering around, they'd no doubt be here to-

"...!"

He froze as a tingling sensation shot up his spine. A wave of power washed over him and blanketed the city, no doubt catching the attention of all the servants and masters who were participating in the war. It was like a beacon, a declaration of war issued to any servant.

"Haha... hahaha... HAHAHAHAHA!"

The chuckle that escaped his lips soon turned into a full blown howl of laughter. If anyone were to have seen him, they would have no doubted labeled him as an insane individual. He just couldn't help but find the situation funny. There was no way he'd fail to recognize that aura, an aura of nature.

"I see... How interesting! To think we would meet again like this, my friend!"

A new smile adorned his face as he marched towards the area where the swirl of power came from. His friend has issued a challenge, and it would be rude to keep her waiting.

* * *

"So this is a pizza..."

Shirou eyed the slice with a curious gaze as he inspected every inch of it. The sauce... the bread... the cheese! It was an interesting combination that he couldn't help but be enraptured by. Such ingredients weren't unknown to him, but this was the first time he had seen them put together like this.

"Mhm! Mother said it originated in some place called Italy... I think?" Ritsuka smiled with glee as he took a bite out of his own slice. "It's not traditional Japanese food, but I've always seemed to like it. Mother always blamed it on my dad's british blood."

"I see..."

He studied his master intently even as he continued to eat. The last part he had said had caught his attention. British blood? It may have been a stretch, but it could possibly explain why the boy was able to form a contract with him.

Whether he knew it or not, the boy had magic circuits. He could tell just from a glance upon their first meeting due to the connection between them. He had thought that he would've had to find mana some other way since the boy looked to be like an ordinary child, but he felt an incredibly strong connection with the boy that fed him mana.

The strength of their connection was beyond abnormal, but the quality of his magic circuits were terrible and barely even countable as average. He had incredible aptitude as a master, but he would be a failure as a magus.

His father must have been a magus of a dying lineage. That would explain the weak circuits he possessed. No doubt this boy would be the final magus of his family. If he were to grow up and have offspring, the chance of them even inheriting a single circuit was close to zero.

At least he knew the limitations of his master. It was nice having a backup source to rely on, but he needed to use his own reserves to fight his battles. Even for a servant, his upkeep was quite costly. If he wasn't careful, he could cause his master serious harm if he drained him of all of his mana.

Luckily, he had ways of dealing with that problem. Magical items from the treasury should be able to counteract this weakness.

"Master," He intoned, catching the boy's attention. "If you don't mind me asking, what would you wish from the Holy Grail?"

The boy looked up at him with a blink. "My... wish? I can ask for a wish too?"

Shirou nodded. "Yes, indeed. This battle isn't to just grant the wish of a servant, but that of the master."

Ritsuka's eyes widened. So he could make a wish of his own too? Many things came to mind. He was a child, after all. Children dream of many things with their own childish innocence, but there was only one wish he wanted granted right now.

Still... was it alright for him to ask for it? For such a selfish wish?

"I-I want to bring my parents back to life."

Ritsuka stared into Shirou's eyes, trying to understand what he thought about such a wish. Would he find it stupid? He knew he was still too young to know any better, but he honestly believed that this was right. If the grail could grant any wish, why not use it to resurrect those who were unjustly murdered in his eyes? His parents had been taken from him too early. He just... couldn't accept that.

"It is a valid wish," Shirou spoke after a moment, offering a small smile. "There is nothing wrong with asking for something so selfish. Compared to many others, yours can be considered quite tame."

He suddenly leaned forward, his expression deadly serious. "However... Know that we will be trampling over the dreams and wishes of others who participated in this war for the sake of attaining a miracle. Are you willing to do that? To climb over the sacrifices of others in order to seize victory?"

Shirou half expected the boy to shrink under his gaze. Indeed, Ritsuka looked like he seemed to reconsider his options. It may seem harsh, but crushing the lives of others was the price for victory. It was important that he established this fact now, otherwise his young master may end up regretting his decision later on.

But with determination a young boy really shouldn't have, he met Shirou's look with his own.

"I-I want you to win. Mother... Father... I want to see them again. I'll do whatever it takes!"

Such childish innocence... did he really mean those words?

...Of course he did. Stubborn child. If a child found something they wanted, they never gave it up easily.

He smiled. "Then I will devote my everything to fulfill that wish of yours. Rest assured, Ritsuka Fujimaru, I will earn the grail for the sake of your wish. I swear this on my own honor."

The creases on Ritsuka's face started to furrow as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. With his servant, no, Shirou's help, he could regain what was once lost. It was hardly fair for Shirou, but he promised to help no matter what the cost.

"...Thank you!" Ritsuka bowed his head politely, an action ingrained in him from his mother to show respect.

"Master," Shirou shook his head in amusement. "There is no need for you to bow to a servant. You're being way too for-"

He suddenly froze as a tingling sensation passed over him, and judging by how Ritsuka reacted, he could feel the same thing as well. Everyone around them continued about their business, seemingly ignorant to such a phenomenon.

How familiar...

"What was that?" Ritsuka asked as he looked at Shirou for answers.

"That," Shirou intoned. "Was a declaration of war. It seems like a servant wishes to gather the others to fight."

Ritsuka bit his lip. "Then... you shouldn't keep them waiting, right?"

Shirou smiled knowingly. "Yes, that would be quite rude of me," He stood up and gestured for Ritsuka to follow. "Come on, Master. Let us head to the field of battle."

"Right!"

As Ritsuka followed after him with an eager smile on his face, Shirou couldn't help but find himself lost in his own thoughts as they headed towards the source of the disturbance.

 _"Fate must be cruel... To pit us against each other like this, dear friend."_

* * *

"The disturbance came up from around here..."

Arturia Pendragon remained on guard as she led her 'master' Irisviel by her arm, ensuring that she would be able to easily defend the homunculus from danger. She herself felt how powerful the disturbance was and realized that it was meant to issue a challenge to the servants. Thus, desiring to see the competition of the war, she headed off with Irisviel to find the source of the disturbance.

"Saber... I think the source came from the shipyard, where all of those shipping containers are." Irisviel whispered, a small hint of nervousness in her voice. "There's a boundary field set up over there to block out sound."

"So someone has already intended for that to be the battle grounds." Arturia muttered. "Let us hope they are honorable warriors, and not dishonorable enough to make this a trap."

"Yes... that would be quite unfortunate."

Arturia glanced back at Irisviel, noting the look of anxiety on her face. She couldn't blame her. For one who has not seen combat, this silence was too unnerving. It practically warranted a surprise attack from a servant.

She smiled. "Worry not, Lady Irisviel. As long as you stay close to me, I will protect you."

Irisviel blinked in surprise, but took a deep breath and returned the smile. "Yes... I trust you, Saber. Do your best out there."

The two of them continued onwards, their worries dampened slightly. Turning the corner, they found themselves in the middle of the shipping yard with numerous containers around them. They had entered the boundary field a few steps before and it was still eerily silent. That meant that there were no servants duking it out yet.

In such a situation, her instinct skill was going haywire. All of the potential possibilities were flowing through her head, warning her of dangers that could potentially assail them. More often than not, if she followed her instincts, everything would turn out fin-

"Ah... To be honest, you were not who I expected to see first."

In an instant, her clothing changed from her black suit to her blue knightly attire. Her sword materialized in her hand, but the wind immediately wrapped itself around the weapon to cloak it and render it invisible.

Sitting atop a nearby shipping container was a serene looking individual with long green hair and a simple white tunic. A very simple and plain look, but even she couldn't help but note the sense of otherworldly beauty it carried.

She blinked and narrowed her eyes at the... thing. Just what exactly was its gender? She really just couldn't place her finger on it. It was quite the conundrum.

But despite the beauty and figure, Arturia could feel the power radiating off of this servant. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the source of the earlier disturbance that brought them here.

"Irisviel... Stand behind me." Arturia spoke calmly as she held her sword at the ready. She called out to the being. "I am servant Saber, here to answer your challenge. What class are you, servant?"

"mmm..." The being dangled its legs off the edge of the container as it stared at her. "My class is Lancer. It's nice to meet you, Saber. I was waiting for someone else to show up, but it appears you've beaten them to the punch."

"Another servant?"

"Mhm... An old friend of mine. Two, actually. They're pretty close to our location, but we have some time before they arrive." Lancer smiled. "You were expecting a fight, right? Then I'm sure my friends will understand if we were to start without them."

Arturia tensed up as Lancer slipped off the container and landed gracefully on the ground, barely making a single sound.

"Will you not summon your weapon, lancer?" Arturia asked. "It would be dishonorable of me to fight someone without letting them equip their means of defense."

"Sorry. I don't exactly have a weapon of my own." Lancer shrugged, taking Arturia off guard at the proclamation. "In life, I usually fought without the need of weapons. So please, feel free to go all out."

A lancer who fought without the need of a weapon? Something like that should have been unheard of, but it appears Lancer was telling the truth. Perhaps the Lancer attribute came from the effects of a noble phantasm that couldn't be used casually. In which case, she could understand. She herself was keeping her own weapon a secret.

"Then I will gracefully keep that in mind. Have at you!"

She exploded into action, kicking up asphalt with the explosion from her mana as she closed in on lancer. She swung her sword with the intent to take Lancer's head off, wishing to settle this as quickly as possible before other servants showed up.

"...!"

However, such a thing was not meant to be. Reacting with astonishing speed, Lancer raised a hand and blocked the strike that could easily slice through metal with ease. It was such a shocking sight that Arturia barely reacted fast enough to move to the side as Lancer's other hand shot forward to strike at her chest.

She didn't have time to remain surprised as Lancer continued to take the initiative. Lancer's arms were now bathed in golden light and she could feel the sharpness radiating off of them like a very well kept blade. Gritting her teeth, she soon found herself on the defensive as she attempted to fend off the relentless onslaught. She blocked two strikes from the side, another from above, and parried a stab that would have pierced her heart. Despite this, she didn't appear to harm Lancer in the slightest.

 _"Such a powerful body... is this the work of some noble phantasm?"_ She thought as she continued to back up. What else could that body be but a noble phantasm? Even if Excalibur was cloaked in invisible air, she should have cut straight through those arms! Could she even harm an opponent like this?

No. That was the wrong line of thinking. If Lancer was invincible, there would have been no need to block her first strike. Therefore, a direct strike with everything she had must be able to deliver a wound. She just had to find an opening to take advantage of first...

 _"There!"_

Finding a gap after deflecting another strike from her left side, She lowered her center of gravity and rushed forward with her sword. She slashed out in a horizontal strike as she rushed past lancer, hoping her gamble worked.

"guh!"

Lancer grunted in surprise as a large section of her right side was sliced open. Arturia smirked in triumph as she rolled back to her feet to survey her handiwork, pleased to see that the risk paid off.

Or at least... that's what she thought.

That wound was a severe one that would no doubt impair Lancer's combat ability. However, much to her shock, Lancer's body squirmed in a very alien-like manner as the wound began to stitch itself back together immediately. It was as if someone was fixing a clay construct by adding more clay.

"What in the world?" She muttered as Lancer turned to face her with a small smile.

"My my, that was quite a masterful maneuver. If I had been anyone else, such a blow would have no doubt led to my death." Lancer praised. "Alas, my body is quite special you see. Regeneration happens to be a trait of mine."

Regeneration was something normal for any servant. So long as they had magical energy and their spiritual core wasn't destroyed, they could effectively recover from any injury. However, the ability to recover in the middle of battle was completely unheard of. It could be that the master had performed a healing spell, but she didn't believe any modern magi could heal a wound such as that so rapidly. It was a trait inherent to Lancer's body itself.

"I see... That is indeed a powerful ability." Arturia admitted. She should have aimed for the heart to damage the spiritual core, but she didn't have enough time to attempt such a strike. Thus, she settled for a safer option.

"That ability of yours is powerful as well," Lancer replied. "Cloaking your sword is terrifyingly effective. I could not just approach you lightly. However..."

Lancer raised her hand and Arturia's eyes widened as the earth began to tremble. A second later, several jagged pieces of earth rose up with the speed of a missile. She quickly deflected three of them, but two managed to get past her sword and graze her right shoulder and left arm. A sharp pain shot through her body, but she withheld a need to yelp.

"Saber!" Irisviel yelled out in concern. Closing her eyes, she quickly muttered a healing spell that took immediate effect.

Arturia felt the pain dull as the spell worked its magic. "Thank you, Irisviel. Much appreciated."

She swung her sword and broke the last two pieces of earth before turning to face Lancer, who remained unmoving with a smile.

"You... Just what lands heroic spirit are you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. Earth manipulation? Potent Regeneration? No heroic spirit presently came to her mind with looks described like this individual attributed with those abilities.

"My land no longer exists in this world I'm afraid. It has degraded to nothing more than a war torn land where people continue to fight over ideological differences." Lancer shrugged, with a brief hint of sadness. "Besides... knowing my identity won't exactly help you. I don't exactly have any weakness to speak of. You can't win."

Arturia's eyebrow rose. "What a boastful thing to say, Lancer. I'll have you retract those words."

She grasped her sword and narrowed her eyes as she dispelled the magecraft that surrounded her sword. The action resulted in a violent whirlwind that nearly blew Irisviel away, but Lancer easily stood against the storm. As it died down, Lancer's eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the now revealed sword.

"That's..."

Lancer momentarily lost her voice as she was enthralled by the beauty of the weapon. Shining like a golden star, it illuminated the night with light brighter than any weapon in Gilgamesh's treasury. The hilt and blade were covered with numerous runes that were of a language not of human origin, signifying that the weapon was not created by human hands.

A Holy Sword that protects the planet... One wielded by a certain king...

Lancer smiled. "I see. Perhaps I did underestimate you. No heroic spirit, past or future, would not recognize that sword."

"Your words honor me. It's very rare that I get to meet an opponent who forces me to use my full strength." Saber replied with a curt nod. "So prepare yourself, Lancer. I won't hold back anymore!"

 _"Then I suppose it is time for you to get serious as well."_

Arturia paused as a new voice cut through the air around them. She didn't know who it was, but she detected the same presence of aristocratic haughtiness that some of the nobles during her era displayed. It was a tone she particularly disliked, as it belonged to those who caused her the most problems in her life. Forget fighting invading forces, the politics surrounding her gave her a real headache.

 _"Lancer... I give you permission to unleash more of your power. Strike down Saber with your might!"_

Lancer nodded. "If you command it, master."

The two of them no longer had any need for words. This was it. They were going to get serious. The two of them were top-tier servants in their own right, and the collateral damage would be enormous.

Saber gripped her sword tightly. She'd wouldn't deny feeling nervous. Lancer had already proven to be a formidable foe. A foe that may possibly, just maybe, outweigh her in a straight up duel to the death. In her current state, she couldn't afford to overuse her mana like Lancer could.

She silently cursed in her head. Emiya Kiritsugu... why did he have to be her actual master? His mana was painfully weak. It couldn't even supply her correctly. If Irisviel was the one supplying her, she'd be able to fight with more gusto.

But she couldn't worry about that now. She had to win no matter what. For the sake of her people, she couldn't afford to loose here!

* * *

"Maiya, find Lancer's master."

Receiving an affirmative from the other end, Kiritsugu resumed his work on surveying the battlefield. Despite himself, he couldn't control the slight tremor in his hands and the rapid increase in his worried breathing.

The old Kiritsugu wouldn't have felt like this, but he wasn't the old Kiritsugu. He was hampered by worried emotions for Irisviel... which was something the old kiritsugu most certainly would not have.

He forced himself to swallow. Calm. Act calm. Focus on the mission at hand. The sooner he found the master, the sooner the threat would be taken care of. Swiping the rifle from side to side, he continued his careful search for the master.

Sweeping all of the dark corners where a mage would most likely lurk, he soon found a heat signature atop several shipping containers. The signature was hugging the darkest part of the area, allowing the mage to remain invisible while also surveying the field from a safe position.

He exhaled. The target was found. What's more, he looked to be completely undefended. That made it all the more easier for him to take his head off. At this range, no magical protection would save him from the flight of an impeding sniper bullet.

Assassinating him right now was top priority, but he quickly made sure to cover all of his bases before he took the shot. Shooting would alert anyone in the vicinity to his location, which was something he did not want to deal with. Even if he was the magus killer, he wasn't particularly confident in his skills against a servant.

Scoping the surrounding area once again, he froze when he detected another mana signature.

A masked individual wearing a dark tattered robe stood haunched over atop a nearby crane. It carried a magical signature that was emanating a much stronger heat than Lancer's master, but it was contained and suppressed. Like an eagle stalking its prey, a dark knife could be seen poking out of the folds of its cloak.

Silent cursing shot through his head.

"Maiya, your intel was wrong. Assassin has survived. He's atop a nearby crane at your 3 o'clock."

There was silence on the other end for a moment, before Maiya cursed.

 _"So it appears. We won't be able to kill Lancer's master with Assassin here."_

The Old Man Of the Mountain would no doubt be able to trace the direction of their gunfire in a heartbeat. Even with modern weaponry, they would stand no chance in killing a servant or escaping with their lives.

Glancing down at the battle, he felt a bead of sweat go down his neck. He didn't trust Saber to win. She was no doubt strong, but he could tell that her enemy was stronger. Thus, he made his choice.

"Maiya, distract assassin with suppressive fire. I'll use that opening to take down Lancer's master. Fire on my mark."

 _"Roger."_

"5."

He raised his rifle and inhaled.

"4"

He exhaled slowly and felt his hand relax.

"3"

He aimed for the center mass, an area that had the lowest chance of failure.

"2"

He slowly began easing his finger on the trigger.

"1"

His grip tightened and he squeezed down on the-

"Ahahahaha!"

A haughty laugh filled the air, though it was chilling and foreboding unlike the Master of Lancer. Everyone paused their actions as a golden blur appeared in the sky above them, streaking down towards them at an incredibly fast pace.

"Another servant?!" He thought in surprise as he quickly scooted back into the shadows to remain from being seen by the newcomer as it crashed onto a stack of nearby containers.

Saber was taken aback by the appearance of another servant, though Lancer just smiled without a care in the world, like such a thing was to be expected.

"To think that you would start without me... You've become impatient, my friend!"

The dust cleared and everyone present was treated to a sight that would forever be burned into their memories. One that would no doubt leave a small hint of fear that would be with them for the rest of their lives.

A man in glittering golden armor stepped out of the dust cloud with a wild grin on his face. His blonde hair blew in the wind and his red eyes pierced through the souls of everyone there. He radiated incredible power and domineering strength even for a servant. Snapping his fingers, numerous golden portals appeared in the sky above him and the blades of multiple weapons were brought out to bare.

Arturia stopped moving in surprise as she eyed the amount of weapons that were pointing at her. Was this the friend that Lancer taught about? He must have been. The man did claim that he was his 'friend', after all. Still, what was going on? Were all those weapons... noble phantasms?

As she pondered the new situation, Lancer stepped forward, unafraid by the sight. In fact, it looked like she was enjoying it. "I'm sorry, but she arrived here before you did. You missed your chance to be my first battle. Kindly wait your turn before barging in on the business of others."

The man smirked and crossed his arms. "Ah, my friend. Truly, it has been long. I cannot help it. I have longed to see you again, and this time you shall not slip out of my grasp, for you are my most precious treasure."

Sweeping his arms out, several of the weapons took aim at Saber even as she stared in silent surprise at the spectacle of the man in front of her. Turning his gaze to her, she felt her blood freeze for a moment.

"As for you girl... Raise your sword! I am in a good mood today so I may go easy on you! However, I'm not so careful like my friend over here. You may find yourself dead before you even know it!"

He swept his arms in a grandiose manner as Arturia quickly brought her sword up. This was not good. Lancer's friend had shown up and was intent on fighting. This battle was going to be a three-way deadlock, a battle of legends!

"Now... Entertain me you two!"


	12. 4th Holy Grail war (3)

Kirei stood silently as he watched his teacher ponder at his desk with a thoughtful look on his face. He had just received a status report from one of his assassin probes about the confrontation at the Fuyuki shipyard, and relayed it to Tokiomi just like instructed.

It was quite troublesome to sneak out of the church without catching the eyes of the familiars set up around the area. The harsh training towards being an executioner had trained him to spot details like that, however, even under the darkness of the night.

"What an interesting turn of events... I had no idea that the first battle would turn out like this," Tokiomi intoned as he sat up in his seat. "Though I suppose it was to be expected. Lancer's master seems dead set on establishing his dominance if he was so confident to invite everyone there. Do you have any information on the master, Kirei?"

He nodded. "According to my sources, Lancer's master is Lord Kayneth El-Melloi, the prodigal instructor of the department of Spiritual Evocation in the clocktower."

"One of the lords?" Tokiomi raised an eyebrow. "And the creator of the Volumen Hydrargyrum no less... It seems the grail didn't just summon exceptional servants. Among mages, Lord El-melloi is quite formidable. Not only that, but if the information you gave me is true, his servant is the only one capable of matching my own."

The priest nodded. "Yes. Archer announced him as his most precious treasure and friend. There is only one individual who he would ever acknowledge that way, and that'd be Enkidu."

Tokiomi visibly stiffened. "The two of them in the same grail war... God have mercy on us."

It was hard enough for the church to help cover up the messes that occur when servants fight. When two servants duke it out for a few minutes, the end result of their fight was similar to that of a bombing raid. That didn't account for the release of noble phantasms, which increased the damage further. If Lancer was capable of matching Gilgamesh blow for blow, the collateral damage resulting from their fight would be on a level never seen before.

"If you wish to hear my personal opinion, teacher," Kirei began, regaining Tokiomi's attention. "This may perhaps be a blessing in disguise. Archer now has an incentive in this war that will force him to act. You no longer have to convince him to take action against the other servants."

Tokiomi's eyes widened. Kirei's logic was sound. Gilgamesh never had an incentive to take action for the grail, as he was convinced that he would inevitably win the cup in the end. With someone he acknowledged as his equal summoned into this war, he would have no choice but to act. His desire to fight against Lancer would no doubt draw him into conflict with the other servants, forcing him to fight them.

Archer would do things his own way of course, but his actions would be more productive and invested in the Grail War. That was more than what he could've asked for from the golden king.

He felt his muscles relax at the thought, but he couldn't shake away another thought on his mind.

"This is good news, Kirei. However, we now have to deal with the problems that Lancer brings." Tokiomi said grimly. "Lancer is a good incentive for Archer to act, but he is also the biggest threat to him as well. He's the perfect counter in every way, and I fear a battle between the two of them would be a coin toss to see who lives. We have to tip the balance in our favor somehow."

"I understand." Kirei nodded, already knowing where this was going. "You wish for me to assassinate Kayneth, right? If that is all, it is something I can do."

"Kirei, while I have faith if your abilities as an executioner, Kayneth's Volumen Hydrargyrum is something else." Tokiomi warned with a serious expression. "It's a revolutionary mystic code that he perfected himself that manipulates mercury to attack and defend. It's the epitome of the magecraft of fluidics, the likes of which have yet to be matched as of yet."

Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald had made quite a name for himself in the magi community. Not only was he the youngest mage ever to earn the title of 'Lord', he was quickly turning the house of Archibald into a political powerhouse in the affairs of the clocktower. They had close ties with the Barthomeloi family, the leaders of the aristocratic faction in the clock tower, solidifying their status as one of the most powerful families in the organization.

The Archibald family was very middle of the road when it came to age compared to other families, but they have produced many geniuses that flourished in whatever field of study they decided to take up. Without a doubt though, Kayneth was the best mage born from that lineage.

"I will manage." Kirei said curtly. He wasn't particularly worried. Despite how much Tokiomi was wary of Kayneth's ability, all mages were the same at heart. As an executioner who hunted both dead apostles and magi of all kinds, he was confident in his abilities to deal with them.

Although this did throw a small wrench in his own plans. There was one person he wanted to meet in this war, and this extra job would push his desire to do so further back. It was something he needed to do... in order to find potential answers for the meaning of his own existence.

He had to find Kiritsugu Emiya.

All through his life, he was something that couldn't be understood by others. A defective and warped mind at birth that draws happiness in the suffering of others, where one would normally draw happiness from the success of others. From what the file said of Kiritsugu Emiya, he possessed a warped personality himself. He was an efficient killing machine with no ties to anyone, wandering from place to place. He killed many mages and dead apostles, but the way he did it differed slightly from others.

He went terrifyingly far to kill his targets, often staging what could only be described as public terrorist attacks to trap and kill rogue magi. The methods he used relied very little on magecraft, and instead worked on utilizing the modern guns and explosives.

The reason why he was an oddity was because no clear motive for his actions existed. He rarely ever did anything for pay and without money, there barely was a reason to even hunt magi in the first place. He also didn't appear to be contracted to any magus family, as he is known for sometimes killing his own contractors.

Did he find joy in such actions? The act of taking someones life like that? No. It couldn't be that. If he found joy in slaughter, he would destroy indiscriminately without care. He was too targeted for a mere murderer.

It took one to know one. Kiritsugu Emiya is a broken man, that was the conclusion he came to. However, he continued to follow his path of killing all the way to this Holy Grail War. It interested him, as why would a person like that want with the Grail?

He had to find answers. He _needed_ to meet with Emiya Kiritsugu.

Perhaps then... he could find the answer to his meaningless life.

* * *

"Fuhahahahahaha!"

The shipyard was no longer the quiet battlefield it had once been. Now, it was as if an entire army had set foot on enemy soil and was in the process of invading. That was just how the scale of the battle was turning out to be.

Earth was becoming uprooted and weapons of incredible quality were thrown around like pebbles. Next to that, Arturia didn't really look special other. If she hadn't honed her skills in hundreds of battles and wars, she would have no doubt perished between both steel and earth.

Arturia cursed as she dodged another spear and swatted away a sword that would have taken her head off. Unlike Lancer, who was calm and composed as she matched the opposing servant with her own barrage, she was struggling to even stay alive.

That impossibly golden man had to be Archer. Only an Archer would shoot out all those projectiles. On the other hand... Lancer was also shooting an absurd amount of earth projectiles. At this point, she wouldn't be surprised if the man was a rider instead.

As she continued to block random projectiles sent her way, she slowly backed up towards Irisviel, who had seemingly frozen up in shock at the spectacle before her.

"Irisviel! Get out of here now!"

It was too dangerous for the two of them. This was no longer a fight that could be contained for much longer, and it was getting harder to protect Iri while trying to match those two servants. She would have to release her noble phantasm to match her opponents, but she didn't want Irisviel to be caught in the crossfire. It would be better if the two of them strategically retreated for now instead of trying to stay and fight with the odds stacked against them.

She grabbed Irisviel by the arm and began to pull her away from the battlefield. Before they could get far, however...

"Where do you think you're going, girl?!"

Arturia gritted her teeth and pushed Irisviel back as she turned around to deflect a pair of swords that would have severed her head from her neck. Archer stared down at her haughtily, even as he fended off the assault of Enkidu, which had not even relented.

"It is unwise to turn your eyes away from the king! I had thought that the servant of the sword, the professed strongest class of the war, would not turn tail and run like a cowering feline! Such actions would sully the title of 'heroic spirit'!"

 _"Just... ignore him. He's just trying to provoke you."_

Archer's words hit a little bit too close to home for her. She was a knight, and those who called themselves knights never loved to back away from a challenge. Even if the battle could result in a defeat, it was considered a dishonor to run away to fight another day. As a king, she didn't really have to worry about that. Her mere presence inspire victory, and her single most gravest loss came at the end of her life. She wasn't someone who was used to defeat.

Yet, she was in the presence of heroes like her. Her life was just a story amongst many, and they stood on equal footing as her. Defeat was a very real possibility. She didn't want to run away, but the odds weren't stacked in her favor. Unfortunately, Archer's goading really didn't help her in forcing her pride down.

By God... she just want to launch an excalibur blast at him now.

"Now, now, Archer. Don't provoke her like that." Lancer chided Archer as she continued to launch more blades of earth. "She is handicapped by her master, is she not? It wouldn't do if she couldn't fight with her full power."

"Ha! You would protect her, my friend?" Archer asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"For now. She has earned herself a reprieve, and I doubt you wish to face a weakened opponent." Lancer shrugged. "Besides... did you not wish to enjoy our bout? Focusing on her won't allow you to fight me on equal footing, you know."

"Hahaha! Yes, I suppose. You have a point."

As the pair relented, the flow of magical weapons and earth slowed to a stop. Arturia lowered her sword in surprise as she observed the two servants, wondering if this was a trick to lower her guard. Lancer had seemed sincere in defending her, but she just couldn't trust the golden archer. He just rubbed her the wrong way.

But now, the pair had stopped fighting. That was good. At least she didn't have to worry about being impaled by a stray sword or a random rock.

She tensed up as the gold servant turned towards her and eyed her up with those red eyes that pierced through her very being.

"Be grateful girl," Archer proclaimed. "By my friend's graces, you and your master will be spared from my wrath. Until we meet again, prepare yourself. I will not be so lenient next time."

Arturia had to bite her tongue to refrain from biting back at that 'girl' comment. Did he not see her as anything other than a weak little girl? For God's sake, she really wanted nothing more than to blast him with excalibur or die trying!

But she had to prioritize the safety of her 'master'. That's what any good knight did, after all.

"Come on, Irisviel."

"R-right..."

Keeping their eyes on him, the pair walked backwards towards the exit. They weren't foolish enough to turn their back towards their enemies. Even if he had promised, the golden archer could just as easily stab them in the back for amusement. Arturia had a feeling that's what the person in front of her was like.

The two of them had almost made their way out of the yard. Everything was going good so far, and the two servants seemed unwilling to attack. She should take this time to regroup with Kiritsugu to mount some sort of plan against those two monsters. Even if the man got on her nerves, he no doubt saw the massive threat those two po-

"ALALALALALALA!"

Everyone suddenly froze in surprise as the sound of thunder filled the air. Turning their gaze upwards, a large shape was hurtling towards their position at a speed that no airborne vehicle should posses. Tendrils of lightning followed the path of the object, filling the air with the smell of ozone.

Arturia gawked at the sight. She recognized that shape. Despite the fact that it should be impossible the vehicle was no doubt a chariot, and instead of horses, it was being pulled by two large bulls. She had seen some pretty big cows, but those animals were clearly divine in nature. After all... land animals weren't supposed to be able to fly, right?

The chariot slammed into the pavement, resulting in a crater that would easily fit an adult. The bulls snorted and pawed the ground, standing at attention without fear. Despite this grandiose display, everyone felt their eyes drawn towards the man who gripped the reins of the chariot.

He was a burly man. Huge. Towering. He easily put bodybuilders to shame, and looked like he could bench press all of the shipping containers in the area with zero effort whatsoever. He wore bronze armor that complimented his bulging muscles, and covered his frame with a red fur-cape that symbolized royalty. He was no doubt a king, that much was for certain. His aura had the symbol of authority that only those who led nations possessed.

Smiling like a madman, he spread his arms wide like he was trying to crush all of them in a bear hug. It would have looked hilarious, if the fact that he was a servant was omitted. Arturia quickly raised her sword once again in preparation. This man looked crazy. If she wasn't careful, he might just roll her over with that massive chariot of his before she could rea-

"I have come! Listen well, fellow servants! I, King Iskander of Macedonia, have descended upon this glorious battlefield as the rider class!"

Stupid.

Arturia felt her sword go slack in her hand at the feeling of shock that was threatening to cause her mouth to gape. For a second, she could barely even believe her ears. Rider servant? King Iskander of Macedonia? Was this man just so utterly crazy that he would give away his true name just like that?! Giving away your true name so casually was an act of stupidity. Servants were tied to their legends, and the leak of their true name could give away key weaknesses that could be exploited by the enemy.

She wasn't the only one who was taken aback by such a proclamation. Even Lancer and Archer, both incredible warriors, couldn't help but blink in surprise and stare at the hulking man as he flexed his muscles in front of them without fear.

"W-what are you doing, idiot?!"

A tuft of black hair appeared beside the hulking man as a young boy pulled himself to his feet. He was lanky and unimpressive next to the hulking mass of muscle, but he glared at the man with annoyance and anger.

"You can't just give out your name like that!"

Iskander let out a bellow laugh. "Nonsense, master! It is better if they knew my name, for I cannot start my conquest if none were to know who I am!" He turned to all of the servants with a smile. "But before we cross each other on the field of battle, I wish to extend an offer of alliance to all of you! Are any of you interested in joining my army?"

Once again, the entire area devolved into stunned silence as everyone processed such an incredible declaration. It would have been believable as a declaration of war, but a declaration of an alliance to all servants? Such a thing was pure folly at the very least! Did the man think that any servant would willingly give up their wish to join his army?

"Fuhahahaha!" Archer's laughter filled the air as he stared down from his spot. "A boisterous claim! However, you are a fool. I would never allow myself to be a soldier in your army. If you were to bow your head to me and grovel, perhaps I'll consider letting you be my vizier! Fuhahahaha!"

"I also must decline. I'm afraid I can't serve more than one lord." Lancer shrugged, though in a much more polite manner than Archer.

Arturia withheld a scowl as Rider turned towards her with an expectant look in his eyes.

"I refuse, Rider. I have already sworn allegiance to my own master."

A look of disappointment flashed across Rider's face as his last hope for an ally was dashed. Despite this, he shrugged and flashed his wide smile once more as if he wasn't in mortal danger alongside his master.

"Truly a shame. I was hoping to ride out and conquer the world with such fine heroes!" He shook his head. "Alas, it appears it is not meat to be. If any of you change your minds, my offer will always be open."

"R-rider!" The boy complained, obviously against the idea. Unfortunately, the warrior king just ignored him as he swept his eyes over the surrounding shadows that blanketed the area with narrowed eyes.

"As for the rest of you... come out! I know there are those who watch us from the shadows. Such cowardly actions would dishonor the title of 'hero' with so many of us gathered in one place!"

His boisterous words echoed throughout the place, ensuring that everyone could hear him. Indeed, there wasn't a single person who could mishear him. An open challenge like that was something no hero could ignore unless they were on the assassin class.

* * *

Kariya Matou narrowed his eyes as he observed the situation from his secret spot. He wasn't too far away from the shipping yard, but he was just safe enough to be able to get away if things were to get any more heated. He saw how much power was thrown around during Archer and Lancer's fight, so he believed he had made the correct decision.

Such strength was something he never dreamed of seeing. It made him pause slightly, but he reaffirmed his resolve. These were enemies he would encounter sooner or later, so he had to suck it up and hope his servant would be strong enough to pull through despite the lack of sanity.

The golden archer was Tokiomi's servant, and clearly one of the most dangerous. He should focus Berserker's effort on annihilating him swiftly and quickly. It would give him a leg up over the others and it'd allow him to see Berserker in action and gauge his abilities.

Most of the servants had gathered in the area, but he believed Berserker should be fine. From what he learned, none of the servants were exactly willing to team up with each other to eliminate a threat. Probably some weird honor thing. Besides, he had his own command seals in case he needed to bail berserker out of there.

He could feel berserker's rage through their link and his hunger for blood. Rider's challenge had riled him up and it was clear he wouldn't be able to control him for much longer if the excited worms wriggling under his skin were of any indication.

It was painful. Excruciating so. However... he had to endure for Sakura's sake. He needed to right this wrong that Tokiomi created... that vile excuse of a human.

"Berserker... go and make your presence known. Annihilate Tokiomi's servant."

He let out a pained smile as he felt Berserker comply easily with that order. For once, they were in total agreement of something.

* * *

"A-are you going to go now?"

Ritsuka bit his lips nervously as he stared at Shirou, who was observing the docks with narrowed eyes from their vantage point atop a nearby crane. He didn't seem particularly upset or angry, but he appeared to be a little bit troubled and concerned with the current situation.

"I have no choice. Lancer has already no doubt detected my presence. She expects me to show up." A perplexed look formed on his face. "Though to be honest... I have no idea what she would do if I decided not to reveal myself."

To be honest, he didn't really know what to think of this entire situation. He was happy he at least got to see his family again, but these circumstances were horrible. As heroic spirits, Gilgamesh and Enkidu were at the peak. This entire city would barely be enough to contain Gil's ego, and the ensuring battle to come would be like nothing the modern age has ever seen.

"You're... not going to fight, are you?"

The two of them had shown up around the time Gilgamesh and Enkidu had begun their fight. For Shirou, it had been something akin to a natural occurrence. For Ritsuka, however, it was like watching an otherworldly action movie. Such a sight would be considered a miracle in the modern age, but he doubted the kid would find it a blessing. It really wasn't cool when the threat of death was eerily present.

He gave a comforting smile. "Fighting is inevitable, but don't worry. I'll come back in one piece. Though before that," He held out his hand and a golden portal formed, dropping out a black sheet. "We need to make doubly sure you stay safe."

"Eep!"

Ritsuka yelped in surprise as Shirou unfurled the sheet and draped it over the young boy. Despite the size, it wasn't that heavy. In fact, it was strangely comfortable. Not only that, the interior of the fabric was apparently see-through like he was looking out a window.

"You're able to see, right? You're not uncomfortable?" Shirou asked, smoothing the fabric.

"No... It's just very warm in here."

"I don't want you to be cold out here." Shirou shrugged as he finished his pampering. "Now... make sure to never remove the blanket, alright? It has an invisibility charm on it that will render you undetectable to outside sources other than me. I don't want anyone else to find you... especially since you have no real way to defend yourself."

Ritsuka's mouth opened in an 'o', surprise leaking through his eyes as he gazed at the fabric in a newfound light. Invisibility? So cool! Just like that one hero in one of those comics... Susany Stormy?

"So cool..." He muttered, earning an amused chuckle from Shirou.

"Right? I worked on the product in life, but I never really had a need to use it until now." He stood up and turned towards the gathering with a smile. "It's time for me to go. Remember what I said, okay? Don't show yourself to others."

Ritsuka nodded, though it wasn't as if Shirou could see him. "You got it. Just... just please don't die."

"I won't. Just sit back and stay safe, alright? I'll be back as soon as I can."

And with that, Ritsuka watched silently as Shirou leapt off the crane and towards the battlefield. He clutched his cloak tightly as he felt a bubbly feeling of excitement worming its way into his chest. Soon... he would get to see his hero face off against other heroes! Shirou would win against them, no matter what. After all... he was the strongest! There was no way he would die!

* * *

"GRAHHHHHH!"

With a roar, a black knight crashed into the pavement. No sooner than a second after Rider had uttered his taunting, it appears as if the servant Berserker had been the first to answer his call.

Archer scowled at the being while Lancer raised an eyebrow in curiosity. A malicious aura of madness clearly radiated off of it, but it felt more... focused. Wispy tendrils of black smoke obscured its figure, distorting the space around it like some sort of mirage.

"W-what is that thing?" Rider's master gaped in shock as he stared at the being with clear fear in his eyes.

"Hmph... it appears this is the berserker servant. What a malicious aura..." Rider muttered as he stroked his beard, staring at the knight.

"Even so, are you going to extend your little deal? Perhaps he'll agree with fighting alongside you." Lancer joked.

"Good idea! Black knight, are you perhaps interested in joining my conquest as we march through this glorious battlefield for the Holy Grail?" Rider offered with his trademark smile, but it seems that the black knight was less than impressed with his offer if the silence was anything to go by. Instead, the berserker turned its attention towards Archer, who was now perched atop a street light. The two stared at each other for several moments, attempting to intimidate the other.

"Mongrel..." Archer muttered with contempt as he felt his annoyance grow. "Who gave you permission to gaze upon me in such a disgraceful state? Know your place."

Two portals opened behind him and shot out a pair of swords, rocketing towards the knight at the speed of a bullet. They exploded against their target, seemingly obliterating him in an instant. However, as the dust settled, the black knight still remained standing without injury.

"W-what just happened?!" Rider's master exclaimed with fear at the sudden attack.

"What incredible dexterity... is that thing really a Berserker?" Lancer muttered with slight admiration in her eyes.

"Even under the grip of madness, it appears that he hasn't lost any of his technique. What a truly admirable foe." Seeing his master's confused look, Rider sighed. "Pay attention, boy. That servant managed to grab the first blade mid-flight in order to deflect the second. Deflecting one of those blades with a sword of your own is a feat most heroic spirits would be able to accomplish, but grabbing it out of the air? That takes incredible skill. A shame he is stuck in the berserker class... for he might have been an even more troublesome foe under another."

Archer, however, looked unimpressed with the display and instead appeared to get angrier. "You filthy scum... to lay your hands upon my treasures is a sin punishable by death! When I'm through with you, there won't be a single shred of bone left upon this earth!"

Sweeping his arms out, numerous golden portals appeared once again with the blades of numerous exquisite weapons poking out. They were all aimed at the knight, who still looked undaunted by the display of force.

"Die!"

But before the weapons could be launched, several beams of light sliced into each of the golden portals, shutting them off and causing them to vanish abruptly. Archer gaped in shock at the sudden occurrence alongside most of the servants, as a voice rang out through the air.

"You still haven't learned how to wield those weapons, have you? No wonder you were put into the archer class, brother..."

Everyone turned to find Shirou perched atop his own street light, having landed there without making a sound. He gazed forward with his normal serious look, unchanged even after all of the years that flew by.

"B-brother?!" Archer gaped with slight shock. Not only enkidu... but his brother?!

"Ahaha... always making an entrance. Though, you really should have come sooner." Lancer chuckled, seemingly unsurprised by Shirou's entrance. Archer turned towards her with a betrayed look in his eyes. Berserker watched the scene silently, appearing to be in some sort of standby mode.

"What?! Enkidu, you knew he was here and didn't tell me?!" Archer roared at his friend, only to earn a small glare in response as he used her true name.

"Really? You had to use my true name? Couldn't you have just called me lancer, Gil?"

"Quit it you two. Have some more tact." Shirou cut in before the two fought again. "I have been summoned under the Caster class. Seeing as how our identities are pretty much scrapped at this point, I will introduce myself as well." He turned towards Saber and Rider and smiled. "My name is Shirou, and I'm sorry for the trouble these two caused. They tend to drag other people into their problems, no matter how trivial it is."

"Ah... it's... um... quite alright." Arturia muttered, feeling herself sink even further into the bog of confusion. The politeness of this servant was leagues above Archer, yet they were brothers? Just what went wrong between the two of them?

But her mind was focused solely on the names Archer and Lancer just dropped. Enkidu and Gil? The throne of heroes supplied her information regarding them the second those names reached her ears, and she could immediately ascertain just why the two of them were so powerful.

She needed to take Irisviel away from here. They needed to be a world away from those two powerhouses.

"Hahaha! There is nothing you need to apologize for! Fighting is inevitable, so I wouldn't mind throwing down with such powerful heroes!" Rider roared with laughter as he spread his arms. "Speaking of which, I wish to extend a personal invitation for you-"

"Foolishness, Rider!" Gilgamesh roared, cutting the king of conquerors off quickly. "None of us would think of joining forces with you! My brother isn't in any need of allies or an army! He is THE army! A servant like you has no right to demand an alliance with-"

"I accept."

Gilgamesh and Enkidu's faces turned so quickly, they most certainly received whiplash. Even Arturia, who had been trying to sneak her way out of the battlefield, found herself pausing once again in disbelief.

Rider, however, just laughed heartily. "Wonderful! My first ally! I welcome you to my army!"

"I... I just can't even understand anymore." Rider's master looked like he wanted to just pass out and forget everything that just happened in the past thirty minutes. Surprise after surprise... there was only so much one person could take!

"Understand? Boy! You don't need to understand anything! We have ourselves a new ally!" Rider roared with barely contained happiness as he slapped his young master's back, knocking him back down into the chariot with a pained yell.

"W-what is the meaning of this, brother?!" Gilgamesh questioned, obviously taken aback. "Why would you bother with this fool?!"

Shirou tilted his head. "Why dear brother... is it wrong for me to ally with another servant? The war has just begun, and compared to you and Enkidu, I'm not as strong." He narrowed eyes. "We are enemies now, brother. All of us. My master has a wish for the grail and I intend to fulfill it."

"That's so like you... You always humble yourself so. Even now, your sense of duty hasn't waned a bit." Enkidu grumbled, though her voice lacked Gilgamesh's bark and had a hit of nostalgia instead. She didn't seem particularly upset, but Gil's face was unreadable. His face went through a myriad of expressions, ranging from anger, disbelief, then finally back to a mask of calm.

"Even after all these years you always do the opposite of what I expect you to do." Gilgamesh grumbled as he turned around and began walking off. "See that all of you have culled your numbers the next time we meet. Only true heroes are worthy of standing before me."

As he dissipated into golden particles, the incredible pressure that had built up around the area lifted like a fog. With the main threat gone, the area had descended back into normalcy. Or at least, as close to normal as it could get.

Enkidu sighed. "I guess that's my cue to leave as well. The night has dragged on long enough, I believe." She glanced at Shirou and smiled. "We'll talk later. It's good to see you again, even under these circumstances. When we meet next, we'll have a longer conversation."

Shirou nodded, his posture relaxed. "Likewise. I look forward to our next meeting."

And with that, Enkidu vanished from sight, leaving behind a simple breeze as she disappeared like a graceful gazelle. Now, the four remaining servants found themselves alone with the two oppressive powerhouses gone.

Arturia stared at Shirou for a moment before turning towards Rider, who had a small look of disappointment on his face. "What of you, king of conquerors? Do you still wish to fight?"

"My desire for conquest will have to wait another day, I suppose. How can I get into the mood when everyone is like this? When the time comes, I'll ride out against everyone at once!" He smiled at Shirou. "Do you have any objections, fellow ally?"

"If that is what you wish, then I shall join you. However, I myself plan to survive until the end." Shirou replied with a shrug. "In the meantime, let us call a temporary ceasefire for now. At least, until the next day."

Arturia nodded, relieved that at least this servant seemed sane. "I accept. I will meet you all on the field of battle in the future-"

"GRAHHHHH!"

Berserker suddenly roared to life with renewed vigor as he turned towards Arturia. Rushing forward, he grabbed a nearby streetlamp out of the ground, coating it with a substance similar to the smoke that covered his body.

"!"

Arturia stumbled backwards in shock as the servant cleared the distance between them in an instant, raising the street lamp like a club with the intent to smash them flat. She quickly pushed Irisviel behind her, hoping to-

"Enough, Berserker."

The mad servant was suddenly yanked sideways as a golden chain shot out of the river, wrapping itself around Berserker's leg. With a howl of protest, he stabbed his weapon into the ground as he was being dragged away in an attempt to slow down. He slid a couple more feet before stopping just short of the riverbed, his enhanced strength triumphing over what Gilgamesh considered one of his most prized possession.

Shirou was certainly glad the gold king had left already. If he had seen what had happened, he would have freaked out once again.

"Did you not hear what we have decided, berserker? There will be no more fighting today. Sheathe your weapon and leave this place."

Despite the warning, the mad servant didn't even bother looking at him. Instead, the knight's gaze was completely fixed on Saber. It was almost as if his presence didn't even register.

He glanced at the two of them for a moment before sighing. "Master of Berserker, call off your servant. Now. Do not make me shed blood tonight."

The black knight continued to struggle against his chains for several seconds before he suddenly seized up straight. His grip slackened against his weapon and he dissipated into blue dust as he was transported somewhere else. His master must have used up a command seal to force him to return. A huge cost to pay in return for staying in the war.

He looked up to the sky and sighed. This war was really becoming more of a handful than he thought it'd be.

* * *

From atop his vantage point over the entire area, Kiritsugu Emiya fought to keep his hands from shaking with nervousness.

He had planned to keep an eye on all of the servants and study potential weaknesses and strengths that most of them could provide, but he had severely underestimated the size of the battle that had just occurred.

On any other day, he would have called this mission a success. He had just gleamed not one, but three identities regarding the lancer, archer, and caster classes. That information was key in this sort of war.

But on the other hand, it did nothing but provide him with oncoming dread. These heroic spirits were beings who stood among the top of heroes. He saw how the battle between Lancer and Archer occurred, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't terrified. Opportunities that could be exploited were few and far in between, and he was someone who couldn't act unless he had a plan for certain victory.

He had attempted to assassinate Lancer's master, as he had noticed that the man had fainted during the battle. No doubt it was because of the drain of mana that was placed on him. However, it would have been too risky for him to pull the trigger. It would have alerted everyone to his location and would inevitably result in his death, something he was desperately trying to avoid.

Maiya could have taken the shot, but she was slightly further away. The unfortunate conditions from the battle would have made taking the shot impossible. The force stirred up by their attacks would have diverted any bullet off course.

They were forced to simply spectate the battle and hope that Saber would be able to protect Irisviel, which was something that agitated him greatly. That knight wasn't someone he could get along with, and the mere prospect of her being the only line of defense against those things didn't do well for his heart.

Luckily, it seems as if they had decided to call a ceasefire for tonight. With Archer and Lancer retreating, the incredible pressure had been lifted from his shoulders and he couldn't help but release a sigh of relief.

Berserker had attempted to continue to fight, but Caster had subdued him easily and forced him to retreat, allowing Saber and Irisviel to leave the area without issue.

He shouldered his rifle and sighed. Once the two of them returned back to base, he'd have to start making plans. Caster, Lancer, and Archer were the greatest threats to his goal. He'd have to plan accordingly to ensure his own success.

"Maiya... pack up and retreat. We're done here."

 _"Affirmative."_

* * *

"W-what happened?"

Kayneth El-melloi, lord of the house of El-melloi, groggily opened his eyes as he felt himself drift away. Was he dreaming? This sensation he was feeling was odd. It was like his own body was... weightless- Wait... were those cars down there?

"W-what the hell?!" He screeched as he shot awake in realization as he saw the stone cold pavement a hundred feet below him.

"I'd recommend not moving around so much, master. If I loose my grip, you'll plummet at least fifty feet to your death." Lancer chided as she hopped from building to building with ease, carrying him under her arm without any effort whatsoever.

"Do not joke with me, Lancer!" Kayneth howled as he fought to contain his fear. The thought that he was so high with his servant's dainty arm as his only support did not do wonders for his heart.

"Wait a minute," He began, suddenly remembering something. "What happened back at the docks? Was I attacked by a master?"

Lancer grimaced. "That was my fault, Master. I got a little bit too carried away and accidentally drained more mana from you than I realized."

He passed out. How disgraceful. If the other masters had seen it, he would no doubt have become the laughing stock of the war! Powerful servant or not, he needed to keep his image intact!

"Did you at least manage to defeat one of the servants?"

"No. Archer and Caster would have gotten in my way and that wasn't a risk I was willing to take. A battle between the three of us would inevitably lead to mutual destruction."

Kayneth narrowed his eyes. "Mutual destruction? Lancer, do you mean to tell me that you're not the strongest heroic spirit in this-"

"That was something you came up with on your own, Master. While I do not deny the fact that I rank amongst the strongest, I'm not invincible. There are others capable of matching me." Lancer corrected cordially.

Gritting his teeth, Kayneth stewed with that information in silence. He had thought that he'd be able to steamroll through this war with the power of Lancer by his side, but she had been stalemated instead by two other heroes? Such a thing was preposterous to him. He knew Lancer's stats and noble phantasm power. How could someone like that be matched by someone else?

Caster and Archer... those were the two servants that would be a thorn in his side. If Lancer couldn't bring them down without resulting in a mutual defeat...

...He'd just have to take matters into his own hands and defeat the Masters. Yes. That was a good plan. He was the leader of the house of El-Melloi, and more than capable for accomplishing this task.

"Lancer... speed up. I have to make some preparations."

* * *

"That was so cool! You were so cool out there, Shirou! You took care of that black knight without any problem!"

Shirou chuckled with amusement as Ritsuka followed him around, eyes shining with awe as if he was seeing him in a different light. "I did nothing much. I was only lucky enough that Lancer and Archer backed off without much of a fight. Things would have gotten nasty otherwise."

"But still! The way you wrapped him in those chains... That was like something out of a comic!"

"I have no idea what a comic is Master, but I'll take that as a compliment."

From beside them, the red Rider roared with laughter as he walked with an easygoing expression on his face. He was radiating happiness, which oddly seemed to brighten the night around them. After the fight at the docks, Rider had invited Shirou to see their base of operations in order to, in his own words, 'Tie the ribbon in their alliance'.

"Good words, Caster! Fitting of a hero who stands unflinchingly in the face of such monsters like Archer and Lancer." Rider turned towards Ritsuka and winked playfully. "You found yourself a powerful servant, boy! I would welcome the two of you into my army with open arms!"

"A-ah... um... thanks?" Ritsuka replied shyly as he shrunk under the man's boisterous laugh and smile. The guy seemed friendly enough... but he was huge! No normal human should be as big as this man! Were those muscles even natural? He honestly didn't know how to act around this man.

"Don't get too excited, Rider. My master is a little young to be wrapped up in your conquest." Shirou corrected with an amused smile.

"Of course! Still, I can see potential in the boy! He'll grow up to be a fine young man! Until then, the offer still stands!"

"Will you two quit it?!"

The two servants ceased their banter as a squeaky voice peeped up from behind them. Rider's master, a young man whose name was Waver, stormed up with a cross scowl on his face. Or at least it was supposed to be a cross look, but it lacked any bite to it to make him look threatening.

"How in the hell are you two getting along?! You two should be fighting each other!" The young man complained, obviously fed up with the nonchalant attitude the two had with each other.

"You were there, master. The two of us have struck an alliance! This is a moment you should be happy about! With our combined powers... the two of us will conquer the grail war!" Rider flexed his muscles proudly, which only served to piss Waver off even more.

"An alliance should be the furthest thing away from our minds right now! Having another servant right next to us is too dangerous! He could kill me in my sleep!" Waver complained.

"That is a true fact." Shirou nodded. "I could easily kill you when your back is turned. My sword can snatch the life out of you before your mind even realizes what is happening. That is a viable reason enough not to trust me."

Waver paled with a horrified look, but Shirou continued on.

"However, you can believe me when I say that I would never do these things while we are allied. My conscious would never allow me to strike an ally from behind. Besides, it would most likely be an action my master would never accept. Isn't that right, master?"

"R-right! I would never allow that! Killing an ally is unacceptable!" Ritsuka puffed his cheeks out as if he was trying to make himself bigger. Waver groaned in annoyance while Rider just laughed, apparently amused by such a sight.

"The boy has more guts than you do, Master. Perhaps the two of you can learn from each other, eh?" Rider teased playfully, seemingly enjoying Waver's pissed off expression. Eventually, he just threw his hands up in defeat.

"Ugh! Fine! But if I die, I'm dragging you down to hell with me, Rider!" Waver growled as he stomped off ahead of them, giving up trying to convince his servant to bend to his will.

"I'm sure that would be an interesting experience, master! Perhaps there we can conquer the underworld together!"

"Eat my ass!"

"Ahahahahaha!"

"Language!"

Shirou suddenly appeared in front of Waver and brought his hand down upon his head with a karate chop. While it was an action equivalent to lazily swatting a fly, it nearly caused the boy to crumple to the ground.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Waver yelped as he nursed the welt that was starting to grow on his head.

"Your language, boy. I suggest you watch it. If you hadn't noticed, there is a child present." Shirou reprimanded like a scolding parent, staring down upon him as if he were the judge in a courtroom.

It was a terrifying gaze, and Waver himself found himself shrinking like a snail retreating into a shell. He glanced at his fellow master, who was watching the scene with a curious expression on his face.

He honestly nearly burst out into tears. So not only was his servant inviting another servant to camp out with them, increasing the chance that he would be backstabbed and die painfully, but he'd have to watch his language around this child?!

It would be a miracle if he got through this war without popping a vessel. At this rate, his weak body wouldn't even be able to hold out under all of the stress.


	13. 4th Holy Grail War (4)

"What do you mean we're moving?"

Sola's tone betrayed her inner surprise as she watched Kayneth wander around the room, gathering all of the magical artifacts that were laying around the room. Potions, tomes, even magical items that helped with enhancing the potency and efficiency of magical spells were being stashed away into a special suitcase. Kayneth, who had been spending most of his time putting traps around the premise, had begun deactivating them the second he returned, working through the night and into the early morning.

The entire area which he had proclaimed to be an impenetrable fortress had returned back to a normal hotel. This came as a shock for her, who could value the integrity and security the place provided. She would never admit it to his face, but Kayneth had indeed transformed the place into a powerful stronghold.

"It is as I say, Sola. We are leaving." Kayneth grumbled with annoyance in his tone. "This place can no longer suit our needs as adequately as I once thought."

"In what way? Defensively, we are pretty secure. No one can get us up here unless it was an archer-"

"The matter of defense is not what I was referring to," Kayneth cut in as he stuffed another bottle into the case. "Rather, it is a matter of offensive power."

"Offensive power? You proclaimed that Lancer was a powerful servant, and I have seen the stats and noble phantasms. What other servant can match such strength?"

There was a slight hint of mocking underneath those words, but it flew over Kayneth's head. He was too focused trying to pack all of his equipment to pay attention to the hidden messages that she was trying to send him.

"If I may, miss Sola." Lancer interjected, materializing out of spirit form by Kayneth's side. "It is indeed true that I am a powerful heroic spirit, but we have recently come across two other heroic spirits who are capable of matching my power. Coincidentally, the two of them are from my legend as well so I know firsthand just how strong each of them is."

Lancer paced over to the window, a frown marring her face. "I do not doubt my ability to face them. Rather, I doubt my ability to do so for extended periods. Even for our skirmish at the docks, I used up so much magical energy that lord Kayneth fainted from the drain. If the fight had not stopped, I fear I may end up killing the two of you by accident." She turned to look at Sola with a curious look. "Tell me, did you experience any lightheadedness at all? Any weak reactions?"

"Well... now that you mention it..."

Before they had arrived, she had felt her vision spiral out of control. Her legs became weak and her head became heavy as she fell back on the bed. It was like all of the muscles in her body just gave up supporting her and stopped working. It was a condition that would have sent normal humans into a panic, but she easily deduced the cause as a lack of magical energy.

During the summoning of Lancer, Kayneth had turned her into a prana battery of sorts. In order to fight on his own against the other masters, he proclaimed that he couldn't be hindered by his own servant. Thus, he wished for her to bear the burden of keeping Lancer in the world. She hated the idea, but there wasn't much she could do about it. Her free-will was nearly non-existent, and the pressuring of her family forced her hand.

But there was a slight miscalculation on Kayneth's part. Lancer was extraordinarily powerful. More powerful than either of them could imagine. The magical energy consumption, even to bring her up to full power, could not be satisfied by Sola alone. Thus, Kayneth was forced to bear the burden with her in order to efficiently give Lancer the energy needed to fight.

Yet... Lancer had nearly drained Kayneth of all his energy. She must not have been affected as much, due to not being close to the battlefield, but she was amazed that the support of two mages was not enough to keep Lancer at full strength for more than a few minutes.

Sola blinked. "I-I see... But what does that have to do with us changing locations?"

"The problem is in a simple lack of magical energy. Master Kayneth, deciding to focus more on offensive power rather than defense, has deemed it necessary to move us to a suitable leyline in order to solve this problem."

"Indeed," Kayneth nodded proudly, feeling a hint of pride return back to his voice. "As it stands now, we cannot afford to let our enemies come to us anymore. In terms of endurance, we are at a disadvantage. However, should we be able to take control of a leyline... we can easily get rid of this problem."

A leyline was a spot of earth where the concentration of mana was particularly prevalent. For a magus, such a good source of energy was highly sought after, leading to territory disputes as secret families fought proxy wars in order to take control of the land. High-quality lines have decreased over the years, which only served to increase the feud between magi.

It was no secret that the lines in Fuyuki were particularly well-kept. It was the site of the Holy Grail War, after all. The necessary mana needed for such a ritual would no doubt influence the land, leading to a great source of mana.

Despite that, no one has ever dared to attempt to travel to Fuyuki to siphon off those lines. The Holy Grail war was no secret after all, and nobody wanted to meet a fearsome servant face to face. Stories perpetuated about the dangerous ritual around the clock tower only served to keep everyone away.

And besides... the land was known for having a very attentive family watching over it.

"But isn't that a little risky? The Tohsakas... the family would be watching like a hawk. Surely they'd be alerted to our presence?"

"Reaction time is of no problem. I only need a few seconds to begin siphoning energy." Lancer declared, completely unconcerned. "Master Kayneth wants to move locations because he believes that I would leave you two too unguarded. Especially you, Miss Sola-ri. He was adamant that your safety is ensured."

Kayneth coughed, a very slight tint of red on his face as he turned his attention back to his case. "That is enough, Lancer. She gets the point. Just go back into spirit form and wait for more orders."

Lancer just smiled. "As you wish, master."

Disappearing back into spirit form, Kayneth released a sigh. Truth be told, he had no qualms with his servant. Lancer was everything he could have asked for. Attentive, powerful, and obedient. However, that being did have some snark from time to time. If Lancer wasn't so complacent and obedient, he would have rebuked his servant with harsh words.

How would that go? For a brief moment, that thought flashed through his mind. Lancer was a tool. Nothing more. Even Lancer didn't bother trying to correct him and seemingly agreed with that point. Lancer wasn't born a human. Therefore, it wasn't one. Shaped from clay and given human form, it could only imitate the emotions of humans. There was no way it could respond to him other than to follow his orders.

Or at least... that's what he thought.

* * *

"So this is where you've been hiding out?"

Shirou muttered as he stared out the window of a simple Japanese house. As far as looks went, the place was pretty ordinary. Nothing grand or luxurious about it. Gil would have hated the place.

"Y-yeah! Got a problem with it?" Waver glared with annoyance as he crossed his arms.

"No, not really. As far as locations go, this is a pretty good spot." Shirou replied as he glanced around the room. "It's a little bit secluded, and not many would think to try and start a fight here."

After Shirou and Ritsuka returned back to their room to check out, Waver had sent them a message through a familiar with the address to their location. Seeing as they were going to be allies for the remainder of the war, Iskander believed that they all should bunk together like comrades would.

The house they were staying at was in a tightly packed neighborhood. It served as a slight deterrent of sorts. Due to the close proximity of the other houses, no servant would even think of unleashing a noble phantasm here for fear of striking innocent bystanders if they had any honor. The only one who would attempt something like that would most likely be the Assassin class servant, but that wasn't much of a threat at this point.

"Oh." Waver deflated, obviously not expecting such a heartfelt word of praise from the hero.

"Ahahaha! Way to go boy! You've impressed our fine ally!" Rider roared with laughter as he slapped the boy on his back, forcefully knocking Waver onto the bed with a pained yelp.

"U-um..."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned towards Ritsuka, who was nestled in a small beanbag chair that was tucked away in the corner. The boy had been quiet so far, barely drawing any attention to himself. Now, he rose a hand into the air.

"S-so what do we do now? About this war... I mean." Ritsuka asked nervously. He was still a little put off by how much taller everyone seemed to be compared to him. Even Waver, scrawny as he is, still stood taller than he did.

"My dear boy... The solution to your question is quite simple!" Rider declared with a smile. "We simply seek out the other servants and drive them underfoot! With our combined might, we shall conquer this grail war!"

Ritsuka blinked. "But... don't we need a plan? We can't just go charging in... right?"

"Finally! Someone gets it!" Waver threw his hands up in victory, finally finding at least SOMEONE who was sane. Before he could even get another two cents in, Shirou spoke up.

"Believe it or not, charging in would be one of the most optimal courses of action."

"Oh no, not you too!" Waver growled in annoyance as he pointed an accusing finger at Shirou. "Aren't you supposed to be a wise sage or something?! We can't go charging headfirst into battle with your brother and that plant monster!"

"Enkidu's... not a plant monster." Shirou frowned before shaking his head. "But anyways, I know what I'm talking about. It's not like we'll be able to pull off any fancy maneuvers against my brother or Enkidu. They'd rip us apart before we could try."

"B-but surely there's something better than facing them directly, right? Don't they have some sort of weakness?" Waver muttered meekly, feeling this situation grow hopeless with every passing second.

Shirou chuckled. "Young man, there are no physical weaknesses that we can exploit. They are simply that strong. No. What we must do is take advantage of their nature."

"Take advantage... of their nature?"

He nodded. "Indeed. My brother is quite arrogant; Half the time he won't take you seriously if you were to fight him. Enkidu, though more serene, is the same as well to some degree. If we were to challenge them face to face, I highly doubt they'd start off seriously due to their pride. If we were to attempt a sneak attack..."

"They'd reflexively use their full power!" Rider finished with a nod. "Indeed... such a tactic would only end up with our sound defeat! I applaud your straightforward thinking, Caster!"

"Your words humble me." Shirou chuckled.

"Then it's settled!" Rider declared as he stood up, nearly scraping his head against the ceiling. "We shall settle this war fair and square! I have always enjoyed a direct approach to my conquests! Prepare yourself, boy! You'll soon learn firsthand how the king of conquerors, Iskander, wages war!"

Waver groaned and slammed his head into the desk. "I can't take this. We're all going to be enemies sooner or later... why can't you two just be simple and fight each other?"

Shirou just laughed softly while Ritsuka tilted his head in a cute manner. He didn't really comprehend all of the details, but surely something big was going to happen in the near future.

* * *

Irisviel bit her lips nervously as she watched her husband work from the side. He had sat down at a pristine silver table with a laptop open in front of him, which his nose was practically buried in. Various images flashed across the screen, though she herself didn't know what to make of them. Thus, all she could do was remain silent.

They had gone to the Einzbern's Castle deep within the forest after the battle at the docks. It was an estate that the family built in order to always be close to the war, protected by numerous magical wards and was stocked full of magical resources. All in all, it was considered a perfect fortress.

Saber stood next to her, just as silent and attentive. However, Irisviel could detect the impatience radiating off of her even when she tried hard to suppress it. Her foot was tapping against the floor gently, but fast. Clearly, her mood was just as foul as Kiritsugu.

She knew since the beginning that neither of them liked each other. The second Kiritsugu had summoned her, he had made nearly zero attempts at acknowledging her existence. His cold nature, combined with his previous protests of having a knight for a servant, only served to keep him away. He had even callously claimed that it would have been easier for him to have an assassin rather than one of the most famous heroes to ever live.

Thus, she had to serve as the bridge between the two of them. Any orders Kiritsugu had for Saber were passed through her, and she in turn spoke for Saber's behalf. It felt like an impossible task, for it felt like they were two worlds apart even when they were in the same room.

Still, she knew she could not give up on them. For both of their dreams, she would have to support them.

"Kiritsugu..." She spoke out finally, filling in the void of silence. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Surveillance," Kiritsugu replied immediately, but robotically. She immediately noted how he had changed drastically from his time in the castle. "Maiya has already sent out most of our familiars to all key locations in the city. Thanks to that, I've narrowed down the possible locations of all masters." He leaned back in his chair. "With some luck, I can come up with a plan to take them out without having to fight them. However, it appears that we'll have to alter our strategy concerning the three strongest servants."

Saber tensed next to her, her foot tapping halted at those words. She opened her mouth to say something, but Irisviel quickly beat her to it.

"What is it that you have in mind?"

Kiritsugu's response was blunt and emotionless.

"Caster, Lancer, and Archer will inevitably fight to the death. It's only a matter of time. In the meantime, we'll try to defeat the other servants. The others won't interfere. They'll kill each other without any of us having to lift a finger. All we have to do... is simply wait."

It was a horrible method, but it was ultimately the best course of action for them in his mind. From what he had seen, those three heroic spirits wouldn't be satisfied with letting another servant kill them off. It was personal. After all, they were each from the same legend with bonds as close as can be. It was a matter of family pride.

This was the most effective method. Saber would no doubt be killed in a head to head battle with them, no matter how confident she was in her own abilities. He was not going to jeopardize his own chances at the grail because of her foolish desire for honorable battle. That's just how she was, and it was ultimately something he could not force her to do.

He subtly glanced at the knight, who looked to be holding herself back from calling him out on his cowardice. Luckily, it seemed as if she would play along for now. She could not use the honor excuse to rebuke him, as she seemingly agreed that it would be dishonorable of her to get involved with what most likely be a battle between family members. Saves him a headache of trying to talk around her.

Good thing he left out the fact that he'd try to kill their masters when he had a chance.

* * *

"Ah... It really is quite amazing how fate never ceases to amuse me."

Gilgamesh chuckled to himself as he lounged lazily on the red sofa in his casual attire. A glass of red wine in hand, he turned his red eyes upon the man who stood before him with a bowed head.

"A few hours ago I would not have even considered getting involved with such a petty squabble between children, but I suppose exceptions must be made." He swirled the cup slowly. "So rejoice, Tokiomi. You will bear witness to a sight none have seen since the dawn of mankind."

"I cannot wait, my king," Tokiomi replied humbly, keeping his head bowed. "I pray for your victory upon the battlefield."

"Hmph. Prayers mean nothing to one such as I. It is only natural that I shall be victorious." Gilgamesh declared before his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Though I must warn you Tokiomi, if you dare attempt to try and intervene in any way using your little pupil... I will kill you before you can even activate your command spells. Do you understand?"

Tokiomi inwardly grimaced. In truth, the thought such a threat would occur had passed his mind more than once. Using Kirei's Assassins to kill the unsuspecting masters while the servants were busy fighting would be efficient. There would be no greater time than that to unleash them while they still had the element of surprise. After all, the others had believed the servant to be dead. It would be child's play for the assassin to get the drop on them.

However, he knew just how volatile Gilgamesh's personality was. He'd most certainly follow through with his threat if he ever realized just what it was that he and Kotomine had planned. Luckily, the two of them had accounted for such a possibility.

For now, they'd let Archer, Lancer, and Caster duke it out. Let each other wear themselves down. Then, when both Lancer and Archer were too tired to act, Kirei would swoop in and assassinate Kayneth to further weaken Lancer. Archer would surely be beyond furious, but...

He subtly glanced at the command spells on his hand. By the time Archer realized what was happening, He'd be dead. All of the servants must be sacrificed in order to fulfill his own personal wish, after all. Six would be enough for a wish, but to open a hole to the wellspring of knowledge required all seven to die. In the meantime, Kirei would target the other masters.

Rider was a simple nuisance, but servant Saber under Kiritsugu Emiya was a very plausible threat. He knew of the terrible things the Magus Killer did. He was the boogeyman of the magical world, performing actions that would make even the most cold-hearted magus quake. Kirei seemed to have a morbid fascination with him, so he'd no doubt mind going after him first.

He had no doubt his student would succeed with his duties. He was dutiful and studious, displaying the hallmarks of a great student. There was no one else he trusted more than him.

So he simply remained calm in the face of Archer's threat, his shoulders unusually relaxed.

"I understand, my king."

* * *

Kirei quietly stalked through the streets, walking slowly and swiftly. He looked so normal that anyone would have been hard-pressed to believe that he was a certified killer. Dawn was starting to break in and people would start coming out in a few minutes. He'd need to take care of his errands before then.

He had spent the past half hour walking in circles as he tried to shake off his pursuer. While he gave no indication, he noted that several birds kept following him from one spot to another without pause. They perched on buildings far away, but whenever he turned the corner they'd fly after him silently. Someone was most certainly using them as familiars, attempting to keep an eye on his movements.

It was annoying. He wouldn't be able to get anything done like this.

 _"Assassin."_

 _"Yes, Master?"_

 _"There appears to be a fly buzzing around. Handle it. Bring them in alive."_

 _"Of course."_

As the connection clicked off, he smirked with amusement. There was only one person who would try to stalk him like this, but he didn't think they'd be so callous enough to be this direct. It was probably a proxy of sorts. Normally he'd drop everything and confront this uninvited guest, but he had something more important to do right now.

He ducked into a narrow alleyway that was nestled in between two buildings, following it down until he came across a small pothole. Sniffing the air, he nodded in satisfaction.

The place smelt putrid. Not like the type of smell one would get from standing next to a dumpster, but a magically foul odor. No normal human would be able to differentiate it from the garbage lying around, but with his keen sense of smell he would not so easily be deceived.

He bent downwards to remove the lid, easily grasping the plate and pulling it up with one hand to reveal a ladder heading downwards into the sewer system. He reached out to grasp the metal, but suddenly froze as he felt a presence rise up behind him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Kariya Matou stepped out of the shadows, pale and thin with a sickly aura about him. Not even the dark hoodie he had up could hide the mangled skin underneath.

Despite that, his eyes glinted dangerously like a snake. Berserker was materialized next to him, gripping a lead pipe that was covered with his malicious dark aura. It was an odd sight, seeing a knight wield a pipe, but Kirei had no doubt that his head would be rolling would just one swing.

"Kariya Matou..." Kirei spoke, his voice even. "I have been looking for you."

"I can tell. Tohsaka's dog wouldn't be snooping around otherwise," Kariya growled, venom dripping from his lips at the mention of Tokiomi. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't have Berserker rip your head off your shoulders."

"Because I'm not here to fight. I'm here to discuss business," Kirei replied simply as he turned to face him. Berserker didn't even move, silent like a sentry. "As far as Tokiomi knows, I'm out to assassinate the other masters. Preferably the masters of Rider, Saber, and of course, Berserker. However, he never gave me explicit orders on how I could go about it."

Kariya narrowed his eyes. "And? You're here to kill me. That's more than enough reason for me to sic Berserker on you."

"But I'm here to offer another alternative," Kirei cut in quickly. "As it stands now, the servants of Archer, Lancer, and Caster are the biggest threats in the war. Still, the three of them will be too busy fighting amongst themselves to pose any trouble to us. Tokiomi wishes to cull the other servants before then, as he wants to make the process easier for himself."

"You mean you can't get that arrogant servant to kill the others, right?" Karia let out a hollow laugh upon that realization. Kirei just nodded, unbothered by it.

"Yes. Which is why I have come to you. Your Berserker would be perfect for sweeping up the rest of the competition. I'll supply you with anything you need... so long as you get the job done."

"Really? You expect me to help you on Tokiomi's orders?"

"All participants of the Holy Grail War are expected to kill each other off. I am offering to help you with simply being a step closer to your wish." Kirei replied simply. "And if it makes you really feel better, Tokiomi has no idea of this meeting. When this is all over, you can settle your score with him as you like."

Kariya was silent at that. The priest seemed oddly sincere about his message, almost as if he didn't exactly care about what happened to that blasted Tokiomi. Well, it's not like that mattered. If he was really willing to supply him in exchange for killing the other servants, he'd gladly do it.

Then afterward... he would deal with Tokiomi. He'd make him rue the day he was ever born.

"I have one condition." He declared, but Kirei wasn't even fazed.

"Name it."

"There's a girl who lives in the Matou household... her name is Sakura. She was originally a Tohsaka, but Tokiomi sold her off after that demon Zouken asked for her."

Kirei raised an eyebrow. "Ah, I see. I heard about that from him. He hopes that Sakura will unlock the full potential of her magical abilities under the tutelage of Zouken."

Kariya hissed. "Full potential? She would never reach it with him. Tokiomi was too stupid and foolish for believing in that old worm. Every day and night, he violates her with his crest worms in order for her to 'Succeed as a mage'." He shook his head. "I cannot rebel against Zouken myself. I'm already under his thrall as his worms crawl through my body. If you can save Sakura for me... I will gladly slaughter any opponent for you... so long as you give me a piece of Tokiomi."

Such a sad story, but he truly couldn't bring himself to care. He just came here to strike a deal and he succeeded. Tokiomi would surely not be pleased, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Still, it'd be amusing for Tokiomi to suffer because of this half-broken man.

He pushed such thoughts to the side. It didn't matter now. He'd grab that girl and leave with her. This Zouken Matou was an interesting fellow indeed if he was willing to put the master of berserker through the wringer, so he could only imagine just what kind of state this girl was in.

"You have my word. Sakura will be safe... and you'll get to meet Tokiomi."

* * *

Maiya Hisau narrowed her eyes in annoyance as she kept track of Kotomine Kirei through her familiars. He had abruptly left the church and struck out on his own for some unknown reason. She didn't have any more cameras to put on her familiars to send data to Kiritsugu in real time, so she was forced to keep an eye on him personally.

She was situated in a small room in an abandoned motel, stealthily positioning her familiars and looking through their eyes. Kirei was seemingly wandering around aimlessly, turning from one corner to the next. She'd have believed it if he had gone out for a bite to eat, but he was just wandering. It warranted immediate attention.

Kiritsugu had warned her of him and she had spent hours going over everything they could dig up on him. A high-end executor of the church... a man who excelled in nearly everything he did, but stopped before reaching the end. As far as Kiritsugu was concerned, he was the greatest threat to them. The other masters were people that they could predict, but the man known as Kotomine Kirei was an enigma. Someone like that could royally screw up their chances at the grail.

The thought to kill him had crossed her mind twice before, but she held herself back. This man was an executor of the church, not like the other pompous magi she and Kiritsugu killed. The usual tricks would not work on him, especially considering his track record. Perhaps if she were to rig a building to explode with c4 it'd do the trick, but she doubted she could lure him into one. Blowing up the church was also out of the question, as it will inevitably lead to penalties.

Besides... Assassin would no doubt be nearby.

She inwardly sighed. This was just so tiring, even for her. With so much on the line... she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel an ounce of pressure on her back. Perhaps she should just call it a day and return back to the castle. There was no use in monitoring him when-

It was at this moment that Kirei suddenly ducked into a nearby ally. Narrowing her eyes, she immediately brought her familiars closer in order to follow him in.

 ***CREAK***

She suddenly shot up with a pistol in hand as the sound of creaking floorboards reached her ears. Turning around, she steadied her breathing and slowly began to move toward the nearest exit.

"Well, well, well..."

Her hand moved without thinking, years of experience rising to the surface as she turned towards a dark figure on the other side of the room. She pressed the trigger, setting off several loud explosions as her gun unleashed several balls of lead...

...Only for the figure to raise its hand and grab the projectiles out of the air.

"Found you, found you! Your skills are good, but we are better!"

The skull mask rattled and hissed with glee as it stepped towards her, a dark blade in hand.

 _"Assassin!"_

Maiya cursed in her head. So she really had been noticed after all. Kiritsugu was right, Kirei was more than he let out on.

She kept her gun trained on the presence, but she knew the gesture to be futile. Modern weapons could do nothing more than tickle a servant, even for one as physically weak as an Assassin.

And Assassin knew it.

If it was actually physically possible for a mask to emote, she had no doubt Assassin was wearing a shit-eating grin.

"Master would want you back alive... alive and well. Please don't make this hard! My hand might just slip on accident~" The assassin proclaimed in a sing-song tone as the dark blade danced dangerously in his grip. He inched towards her and she inched backward, following his movement as she moved towards the nearest door.

She'd be safe if she could just get to a public street. Assassin class servant or not, they wouldn't attempt to kill her in full view of others. The nearest street was just a little ways away. All she had to do was exit the room through the door and jump out the window in the hallway.

However, such a simple plan was never meant to be.

The second her hand touched the knob, the door was flung open abruptly with incredible force. The edge smacked into the back of her head with a sickening crack, causing her to fall limply to the ground like a ragdoll as her consciousness immediately vanished.

At this sudden development, the Assassin felt the excitement leave his body and attempted to give a scowl towards the larger copy standing in the doorway.

"Really, must you be such a spoilsport, Gozul?"

The larger persona just grunted as it bent down and grabbed the unconscious girl before casually walking back out from whence he came, not making any noise despite his size.

Makul the Quick just shook his head at his counterpart and followed after him, silently grumbling on how he got partnered with the second most serious of the personas.

* * *

"Um... Shirou..."

"What is it, master?"

Ritsuka fidgeted nervously, a little bit put off with hearing Shirou's voice echo around him but not actually seeing him. The servant had returned back into spirit form, claiming that Ritsuka deserved a little rest from supplying him of mana. His presence was still with him, but it unnerved him greatly. He truly felt like a ghost at that moment.

Waver had left to go downstairs with Iskander, leaving the two of them alone to sit and talk. Until night came around, most of the servants would be on a ceasefire. There was nothing to do other than simply ponder on what they had talked about earlier.

"Is it true what Waver said? That we'd just be enemies later?"

"...That is certainly true."

Ritsuka raised his head, a curious look on his features. "So why are we allying? I mean, Mr. Iskander is cool and all... but if we're just going to fight in the end..."

He trailed off, looking down. A temporary alliance where they'd be forced to kill each other after... he was too young to truly comprehend such a thing. An alliance... was like a form of friendship, right? Who in their right mind would kill their friends?

"We're allied because it's advantageous for us," Shirou replied simply, but smoothly. "In war, the enemy of my enemy is my friend as the saying goes. Iskander is a powerful ally to have. He's also the safest. I have full confidence in his honor to not stab you in the back."

"But... the two of you will kill each other anyway. Isn't that wrong?" Ritsuka protested.

"Of course it is. It is very much wrong. Those who make pacts to be allies should never harm one another. However, you are trying to comprehend our situation using the usual definition of morality and reasoning," A soft chuckle. "We are dead heroes from a time long since passed. Logic and reasoning no longer apply here in common sense. It is true that if it is fated, Iskander and I shall surely fight to the death. However, neither of us will hate each other for it."

Ritsuka trembled. "But... I don't want you two to kill each other..."

"Did I not tell you that we would be trampling over the lives of others for the sake of obtaining a miracle?"

The boy fell back into silence, remembering those words. Back then it had been incredibly scary to think about. Now though... it was utterly terrifying.

"No wonder Mister Waver was upset..." He muttered, looking down.

"I wouldn't pay attention to him too much. As much as he likes to talk, I can see that he was never ready to fight a war like this, nor had he thought of the possibility of an alliance. I'm sure Iskander can see that as well," He sighed. "And I suppose it was presumptuous of me to believe that you wouldn't be unshaken from this path. You are still a child, after all."

"I.. I just-"

"Do not speak anymore," Shirou said softly as he materialized next to him, gently putting a hand on his head. "I know this is tough for you. I do not blame you for feeling this way. But I must warn you, you must make a choice sooner or later. Will you forfeit your chance at the grail? Or will you continue down this path for your wish?"

"F-forfeit? But that'd mean that you'd have to die! I can't... I can't ask for that!"

"I am a servant, Ritsuka. No matter what you ask of me, I shall do it. That is the oath I swore when I contracted with you," Shirou said with a smile. "This is a choice you must make. But know that no matter whatever you pick, I'll be behind you all the way."

Ritsuka was silent for a moment, seemingly mulling over those words before speaking.

"...What is your wish?"

"Hm?" Shirou was taken aback by the sudden reversal, but he nevertheless took it in stride. "Truthfully, my wish has already been filled. I wanted to meet my family again, even if it was for a brief moment. My new wish... would be for your happiness, Master."

"My happiness..." Ritsuka muttered before his eyes brightened. "Then... I want you to stay with me."

Shirou's eyes widened in surprise at that sudden declaration. "But what of your parents, Master? Did you not wish to see them again?"

"I-it's true that I do miss them. And... and... it's not the same without them..." Ritsuka was downtrodden for a minute before perking back up again. "But you're with me! I'll never be lonely with you! And I think, no, I know, that my parents would never wish for me to get in the way of someone else's wish just for them! papa always told me to live for others and not just myself, after all!"

His sudden happy nature was truly a surprise that took him off guard. For a minute, Shirou wanted to spit out the cold truth. Six servants had to die for the grail to be used as a wish-granting machine. Without his death, no one else could use the grail. It was a simple lack of raw mana that would prevent it.

A simple lack of mana...

Lack of mana...

He inwardly smiled as a realization came over him. Yes. If it was a lack of mana, then there was something he could do. Something that'd just work.

"Very well then," He nodded down at the boy. "Then as you wish, I shall stay by your side forever."

The smile Ritsuka gave him warmed his heart, and it was at that moment he truly swore that he would protect that innocence... for as long as he possibly could.

 _"Enkidu... Gilgamesh... do bear with me. I shall be getting serious from now on."_


End file.
